A music video created by the rap duo Play-N-Skillz has been dubbed the most offensive and sexist song of the year by online commentators.
The promo for Literally I Can't, featuring Redfoo, Lil Jon and Enertia McFly, is set at fraternity party where the rappers repeatedly tell a group of sorority sisters to "shut the f*** up" as they try to resist their advances.
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The song's lyrics include the lines:
- "Put your lips on my bottle... I know that you can, I don't wanna hear no."
- "Shhh... I said jump on the pole, I didn't need your opinion... I'm trying to see what you got, not trying to hear what you think."
- "You got a big ol' butt, I can tell by the way you walkin'. But you an annoying slut, cos you talkin, ugh."
Campaigners also say the college setting is particularly offensive due to the growing outcry against flawed campus sexual assault policies at US universities.
Ugh, just watched @RedFoo anti-woman propaganda masquerading as terrible music. I want my 4 mins16 back #literallyIcant @thexfactor_au— Caitlin Roper (@caitlin_roper) November 11, 2014
The word misogynistic is often misused but in the case of @redfoo 's new rape-endorsement song #LiterallyICant it def applies. Hideous #STFU— Michelle Hitch (@MissPuffHitch) November 10, 2014
.@RedFoo You're sexist and we know it. #LiterallyICant #Literallyrapeculture— UltraViolet (@UltraViolet) November 10, 2014
Redfoo defended the song on Twitter, saying he was being "victimised" by his critics and that the lyrics of his "comical party song" had been "misinterpreted". He also went on to say:
Fact #2: I love & respect women and feel they are the most powerful people on this planet! #LiterallyICant— Redfoo (@RedFoo) November 11, 2014
To which his critics responded:
Ah, the old 'but I love and respect women' defence #literallyicant just as long as they're not speaking @thexfactor_au @Redfoo— Caitlin Roper (@caitlin_roper) November 11, 2014
@RedFoo At US colleges 1/4 women will be sexually assaulted during their academic career - 'artists' are not the victims #LiterallyICant— Emma Horsburgh (@emmaLhorsburgh) November 11, 2014
Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the producers of Australian X Factor to fire him as a judge on the talent show. Campaigners say his role "requires him to mentor contestants - often, young women. His offensive and misogynistic portrayal of women in his video clips and performances disqualifies him from such a role."
And as for "a purely musical assessment," writes Inae Oh for Mother Jones, "the song is just insufferable".