Is This Music Video Racist?

In a feeble attempt to clamber out of the dredges of obscurity, Day Above Ground has released a new single called “Asian Girlz”. The music video is about as clever as its namesake, but it’s hardly as innocent as the band purports.

In the video, the band is trapped in a birdcage while an Asian schoolgirl strips in front of them, shedding her modest attire to reveal racy lingerie and tattoos. The band members are then depicted going on dates with Asian girls, their exploits chronicled in Polaroid snapshots. Throughout the video, the band members croon sweet nothings like “Bitch, I love you” and belt out the profound reasons why they love Asian girls — from their “slanted eyes” to their “ninja pussy”. The entire fourth verse is a catalog of stereotypically "Asian" things like “fried rice” and “Toyota”. The end of the video shows the model taking the birdcage (and musicians) to the bathroom where she draws a bubble bath and lets the shrunken musicians dive in. She then rubs one of them on her breasts while another one swims between her legs, causing her to moan.

To say that the video is disgusting is an understatement. Not only does the song capitalize on the dangerous exoticization of Asian women, it makes a mockery of Asian culture ("I love your sticky rice") and trivializes the plight of immigrants ("Come sit on my lap/Or we'll send you back").

In the wake of the controversy, Levy Tran, the "Asian Girl" in the video, posted this apology to Twitter:

Weak? Maybe, but at least Tran actually owned her mistake. According to the Huffington Post, the band has denied accusations of racism because — quote — "the guy in the bow-tie, our cutie bass player, was born in Indonesia, and he steals the show!" Seriously, guys, I cannot stress this enough: Just because one person of a specific racial group aligns with you does not mean you are exempt from making racist gaffes. It's called accountability, folks.