From “Like A Prayer” to “American Life” to What It Feels Like For A Girl”, Madonna has crafted music videos that have helped define her as one of the premier provocateur’s of our times. Merging cultural relevance with controversial images, her videos have become legacies to both her career as well as our culture as a whole. With that in mind, her latest video for “God Control” has become one of the most rabidly consumed tracks off of her latest album Madame X. For those that have not seen it, the video is part disco anthem and part call to action. The video for “God Control” shows Madonna and friends taking to the dance floor at their local discotheque, which ultimately ends in tragedy as someone with a military style assault rifle enters the club to immensely violent & extremely graphic results, so much so that a warning is shown at the beginning of the video.
The images are haunting, grisly, disturbing-and beyond necessary. After the weekend’s events in both El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH respectively, it is beyond clear that the issue of gun control remains one of the most prominent in our nation. While viewing the video, it struck me that getting the perspective from an actual nightclub shooting survivor would be an interesting and insightful perspective
Tony Marrero was inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12th, 2016. He survived the shooting, but with significant injuries that he continues to recover from. He has spoken out about the violence that night and his own experience, and has been a beacon of hope and one of the few people to consistently speak out about the events surrounding that horrible evening. One thing he has never spoken about, are his views on gun control, until now. While he calls the video “raw and too edgy”, he poses that question “is this what we need”? Tony’s video is below;
After the events of this past weekend, Madonna once again demonstrates that she continues to have her ear firmly planted to the ground and is able to tap into a message that the public at large (and our elected leaders) need to hear, even if it is one that is extremely difficult to both watch and listen to.
Artistically, this video is quite grand. As far as I’m concerned, the fact that there is a warning at the beginning of the video puts criticisms to rest. You were warned and whatever your opinion might be, you can’t cry fowl that you were forced to see something that you wished you hadn’t. I’m truly sympathetic to all victims of gun violence who might be triggered by such images as the ones in this video but I’d ask you why you watched it then? The intention I do think is a pretty good one here. Madonna, like so many of us, are fed up with inaction on this matter. The fact that she’s chosen to use her art to keep the conversation alive is, to me, noble indeed.
Madonna has broken all the rules and the ageism is the one now. Other female artist should support her because when they become her age, if they, Madonna has already paved the path for them to keep working. I do love the video and I don’t understand above the comment comparing her to Janet, another great artist.
We are very lucky to have her .
I love the video and we need to show the raw of it for close-minded people to understand.
She did right. Absolutely right. People need to see the truth. Always.
I couldn’t see where Mr Marrero said God Control was ‘to edgy’, as stated in your reporting. He does state that Madonna’s God Control video was ‘to real’ which, given his personal history with this subject, is not really surprising. Should this error be corrected, and reported correctly, to prevent any misunderstandings?
LOVE IT…. WAKE UP WORLD
What a ridiculous comment and wtf does age have to do with anything. This is why we should be grateful we have Madonna still. She is willing to walk in to the storm to bring a message . This video is s damn masterpiece. The album is stunning. I want artists who are willing to go all the way.
Sorry, I am a Madonna fan but I’ve lost all respect for her after this video. She is NOT Janet Jackson and needs to stay away from the exploitation of social issues. She looks like an old lady trying to relive her youth through gun shots.