@ the Crossroads

Although we wonder whether Nicki is thinking Orpheus when she hollas: " Now look at what you just saw I think this is what you live for," we sure that Bon Iver is already asking forgiveness when he's on " I-I crossed the line-line/And I’ll-I’ll let God decide-cide."

Nikki Minaj = ?

Now look. We been hearing her all summer, just like we heard all about the "Milkshake"* in 2003. We been thinking 'bout her, not just in re: brovah Noz' interesting post on "Monster," which gets right the fact that she's not just a novelty.

She's playing out the dancehall queen this summer, right down to the islander growling flow. And she's busy showing all the boys that she's in the yard. It's what you do in the summer. Bring on the milkshake.

There's much more going on than the usual dancehall riot, here. There's a big thread in the tradition that takes the sassy over the top to something from the Marvin Gaye fantasy comic book maufactured by Prince in 1982.† It reaches back past Miles muse,‡ and what we gonna do over @ the blue light is throw up something that conjures this tricky line back, even further back. Back. Forth. Side to side.

They say I'm different? Of course. But from what?

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