Nicki Minaj feels that if she was a “different kind of artist,” her song “Anaconda” would’ve been awarded for best choreography and video of the year. And she just might be true.

Minaj made a few points on Twitter of how the music industry gives black and female artists less recognition. Even though “Anaconda” became a hit on YouTube, it did not receive the nominations it should have because the video is filled with dancing women who are black and thick bodied.

Race in today’s society seems to define a person and it doesn’t matter who you are or what industry you’re in, people have made it clear that if you are of a different color then you are to be demeaned as a person. And both media and music impacts the attitudes, behavior, and perspectives in one’s life. With the portrayals and lack of recognition of such artists like Minaj, both also exacerbate discrimination.

In a tweet, Minaj pointed out, “If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year,” which is true because the music industry now supports the performers’ looks and their collective goods. Music now has categorized artists in general, not just women. They have shown that not only do you have to play the part but you have to look the part too. And the music industry is just promoting the “idealistic look” and that it’s more important than talent. But it’s not. These actions say a lot about society’s preferations of good looks instead of what is actually important. Good looks fade away while talent sticks with you forever.

Decades ago, looks were considered secondary to artistry. And they weren’t what everyone focused on. Music was about sound and how it can change a mood in a moment. It used to be creative and different. You didn’t have to see them sing you just had to listen and feel the music. Now the music of this generation is all the same, there’s nothing different about it. No creativity exists. And now everybody’s too busy focusing on what artists are putting into their music videos instead of what music itself has to offer.

Think of artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Rihanna, and Mariah Carey; they all in someway use their bodies in their music videos. They are dressing in more revealing ways than ever. And it’s weird because male performers don’t need to parade around as objects to show off their talents— they just need an overly sexualized woman dancing next to them. Women shouldn’t have to, either. But simply go on YouTube and watch a recent music video, you’re bound to see women who are sexualized, half naked, dancing provocatively, and submissive, giving themselves to the dominant male. Now, these artists shouldn’t have to use these methods to draw in an audience, but most women artists demonstrate that they control their body and worth, not anybody else. Such artists have taken a stand against how the media wants to portray their bodies by taking back control of them.

However, these women will be judged differently from each other based, again, on their looks. Minaj is getting criticized for what she’s doing, while Miley Cyrus is stirring a body positive movement. It is unfair to say that some artists use their bodies for “art” while others are being a “slut.” People should understand that how an artist uses their body is up to them and whatever they decide to do is art. All bodies are pieces of art and they should not be shamed.

Minaj is doing exactly what every other white female artist is doing and she’s being shamed for it.  And sure, Minaj can argue her case, but in the end it won’t matter because the music industry won’t listen. Music used to require talent, original and hard work, and looks were not always an issue but now they’re built on self-seeking terms and anybody can see that. We don’t have to be into or involved with music to see that it’s changed, just take a look at the world.

Minaj wasn’t in anyway trying to put anyone on blast except for the music world and how she and every other black female artists are being treated differently.

During Minaj’s Twitter hurricane with Swift, Minaj retweeted one of her fans tweets, “It’s not even any shade to the other artists. It’s just that Nicki is getting snubbed for doing the same thing they are winning awards for.” And it’s so very true. She also confronted the music industry of being racist because they will take music from black genres and play it for a white audience rather than give credit to the world who really created it.

“I’m not always confident. Just tired,” Minaj tweeted. “Black women influence pop culture so much but are rarely rewarded for it.” Ever since Ella Fitzgerald changed the world of music for African Americans, black women have been a key influence in the pop culture of today’s society. And yet, they’re barely noticed for it, all because of color.

Talent should always trump looks and if more of us would focus on artists’ intentions of good music, we would be able to see a talented artist that doesn’t have to rely on appearances.

Music in the past has set standards and the bar on what quality of music should be. The Beatles, Elvis, Stevie Wonder, Louis Armstrong, Fitzgerald, like them or not, they are all examples of artists that have stayed relevant to today. So will artists such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce be talked about how they changed music 30 years from now? Probably not, because people will be too busy and too focused on the race of each artist, whether they were a feminist, their looks, and too much on their music videos that they will forget what music really was about. People and artists of today and forevermore have forgotten and always will forget the main components that make a truly talented artist and great music.