Gold’s critique and prism

  On October 20, 2020, the world’s attention turned to Nigeria as peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos were met with live ammunition fired by military forces. The event, captured on phones and livestreams, sparked outrage and disbelief. Months later, CNN released an investigative report titled “How a Bloody Night of Bullets Quashed a Young Protest Movement”, a detailed video account examining what happened, who was responsible, and how state violence crushed a youthful, hopeful civil uprising. To understand the complex power dynamics of how this message is constructed, transmitted, and interpreted, we can apply Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding Model, a foundational theory in cultural studies. Hall argued that media messages are not simply passively absorbed by audiences. Instead, every message is “encoded” with certain meanings by the creators—shaped by institutional, political, and ideological frameworks—and then “decoded” by audiences who interpret the me...

In a world where visual culture often reflects and reinforces systems of power, music videos stand at the intersection of entertainment and ideology. Tiwa Savage’s Koroba, with its vibrant visuals and bold lyrics, offers a compelling site for critical analysis through the lens of feminist film theory. By applying Laura Mulvey’s theory of the “Male Gaze” and bell hooks’ concept of the “Oppositional Gaze,” we can uncover the complex dynamics of gender, power, and resistance in the video. This essay explores how Koroba simultaneously engages with and subverts traditional visual politics, offering a layered representation of Black womanhood, sexuality, and agency in a globalized cultural landscape. Understanding the Theoretical Frameworks Before diving into the music video, it is essential to briefly understand the two critical lenses at play. Laura Mulvey’s 1975 essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema introduced the concept of the “Male Gaze.” Mulvey argued that mainstream cinema posit...

  MORE than sparkle: A bell hooks Reflection on Glo’s “ Feliz Navidad” Ad.   When I first saw the Feliz Navidad Glo ad , I smiled. Its colorful, vibrant, and full of that joy holiday energy. It is the kind of advert you would expect this time of year- smiling faces, music, dancing and a message about staying connected during the festive season. On the surface, it feels warm and harmless. But when we take a closer look- really slow down and see it through the eyes of someone like bell hooks, the late feminist thinker and cultural critic -it becomes something deeper. It becomes a window into what we celebrate, who see, and who we often forget. Bell hooks always asked us to question what we take for granted in the media. Her work wasn’t about attacking joy or celebration. It was about making sure everyone gets to be part of the story-and that we stop measuring worth by how closely someone fits a narrow standard for beauty in ads still leans toward lighter skin, straight hair, s...

  Imagine this Glo holiday commercial rolling during your favorite festive playlist. There is a cozy living room, modern décor, maybe a fireplace cracking softly. A woman- lets call her Ana – unpacks a Glo device under the twinkling lights. She is smiling, dressed up but relaxed, exuding a kind of polished ease. There is maybe an upbeat Latin jingle in the background. The vibe is cheerful, warm, aspirational – like a holiday you wish you were at. It’s the kind of ad designed to make you feel like Glo is more than a product. It’s a piece of holiday magic, something that helps you live that moment; stylish, fun, and sharable. Pretty benign, right? But here is where Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze – from her 1975 essay Visual pleasure and narrative cinema – comes in. she would say this is not just “selling” Glo. Its showing you a version of femininity, packed for someone else’s pleasure. Mulvey would first ask; who ask the power to look in this ad , and who is the object of the...

This critique deliberately adopts an oppositional position, as defined in Stuart Hall’s encoding \decoding model. Rather than passively accepting the message Gucci encodes in its promotional video , I choose to actively reject it , deconstructing the corporate narrative it presents. While aims to communicate progress, inclusion, and corporate redemption through its collaboration with Dapper Dan, this reading exposes the video as a calculated attempted to whitewash exploitation through symbolic gestures. As an oppositional reader, I see through the brand’s glossy portrayal and uncover the deeper structures of capitalist appropriation, racial commodification, and hegemonic manipulation that lie beneath. The video is encoded with a dominant reading; Gucci is righting past wrongs by uplifting a previously excluded black designer , suggesting that fashion is evolving. The intention is to frame this partnership as a sign of social progress and brand accountability. But from my oppositional p...