History Headscratchers / Kesha

* Website/{{Wikipedia}} says she claims The Music/BeastieBoys, Music/VelvetUnderground, Music/{{The Damned|Band}} and Music/TalkingHeads as influences, and she claimed that ''Animal'' was "an homage to ''Licensed to Ill''". ({{Beat}}) Where the hell ''are'' these influences in her music?

** Rumor has it that it's because her first major appearance, as the female voice on Flo Rida's "Right Round," was uncredited and unpaid. So, er, the dollar sign is so it doesn't happen again...?

* Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} says she claims The Music/BeastieBoys, Music/VelvetUnderground, Music/{{The Damned|Band}} and Music/TalkingHeads as influences, and she claimed that ''Animal'' was "an homage to ''Licensed to Ill''". ({{Beat}}) Where the hell ''are'' these influences in her music?

* Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} says she claims The Music/BeastieBoys, Music/VelvetUnderground, Music/TheDamned and Music/TalkingHeads as influences, and she claimed that ''Animal'' was "an homage to ''Licensed to Ill''". ({{Beat}}) Where the hell ''are'' these influences in her music?

*** So it's an homage to Don't Be a Fa***t- its original titles? How edgy of her!

* TheOtherWiki says she claims The Music/BeastieBoys, Music/VelvetUnderground, The Damned and Music/TalkingHeads as influences, and she claimed that ''Animal'' was "an homage to ''Licensed to Ill''". ({{Beat}}) Where the hell ''are'' these influences in her music?
** I can kind of see Music/TalkingHeads, actually -- the deliberate weirdness, the way she takes the other side in lyrics, the prankster attitude. As for the BeastieBoys, I think that one's more direct: considering how many people missed the point of "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)" and were surprised that a group of white boys had real skill (and some progressive beats) underneath their abrasiveness, that one makes sense to me. Kesha has some strong beats in her work and the ''I WANT YOU TO HATE IT'' attitude down; whether or not she has any skill is YMMV. But I think without the BeastieBoys entering the scene and expanding the genre, there would be no Kesha.

* TheOtherWiki says she claims The BeastieBoys, TheVelvetUnderground, The Damned and Music/TalkingHeads as influences, and she claimed that ''Animal'' was "an homage to ''Licensed to Ill''". ({{Beat}}) Where the hell ''are'' these influences in her music?

** Oh, it's there. First, just understand that Ke$ha is a [[YourMileageMayVary subtle, extraordinary lyricist]], and it's easy to miss all the undercurrents flowing through her work. Let's go verse by verse:

** Oh, it's there. First, just understand that Ke$ha is a subtle, extraordinary lyricist, and it's easy to miss all the undercurrents flowing through her work. Let's go verse by verse:

*** Basically, if she sys she's parody people can't complain as easily and her own fans can like her even better.

** Oh, it's there. First, just understand that Ke$ha is a [[YourMileageMayVary subtle, extraordinary lyricist]], and it's easy to miss all the undercurrents flowing through her work. Let's go verse by verse:

* Where is the actual evidence that her music is supposed to be a parody of anything? I don't think that she is as bad as everyone says, but she always seemed like one of those lucky flash-in-the-pan pop stars who actually managed to become popular.** Between the songs that didn't make it to ''Animal'' or ''Cannibal'' and her "well backed-up" statements the degree of parody is pretty apparent. That said, you can still be serious when you parody something. It's more of an affectionate jab than biting sarcasm.

** Oh, it's there. First, just understand that Ke$ha is a subtle, extraordinary lyricist, and it's easy to miss all the undercurrents flowing through her work. Let's go verse by verse:

* Why are people so quick to take artists (like, say, TheBeastieBoys, one of her major influences) ironically as a bunch of white boys rapping, while Ke$ha has to be serious about brushing her teeth with booze? Also, people calling her talentless when it's clear that she could sing "normally" (albeit in a very lite music style) in her earlier tracks?
** Because she hasn't given any indication that she's in any way joking at all with her stupidity and her songs aren't as clever as TheBeastieBoys are? Seriously, I would respect her a lot more as an artist if she gave me anything to go off of saying "Haha, look! She isn't actually as brainless as she seemed the first time!" Right now, she seems like every other dumb as shit slut that got an unwarranted recording deal.
** DidNotDoTheResearch + unfortunately present DoubleStandard?
** Because TheBeastieBoys came first.
** I wasn't there, but I think in the specific case of The Beastie Boys, things like "Fight For Your Right" ''were'' taken at face value initially - then their next few albums were different enough in style and content for more people to realize their persona on ''Licensed To Ill'' was ironic. Maybe Ke$ha will re-invent herself a bit one day and the same kind of thing will happen, who knows?
** Yes, the Beasties had a huge following of idiot fratboys not realising "Fight For Your Right" was mocking them, but there's also the context. Back when ''Licensed to Ill'' came out rap was still developing so their really over-the-top lyrics about shooting people for petty reasons ("The New Style": ''Stepped into the party the place was over packed/Saw the kid that dissed my homey and shot him in the back''), ridiculous boasts ("Rhymin' and Stealin'", "The New Style": ''So I went into the locker room during classes/Went into your locker and I smashed your glasses'', "Posse in Effect") etc. were more easily recognised as being OTT sarcasm (NWA and co. hadn't really shown up yet, but I remember NWA claiming the Beasties as an influence). Ke-dollarsign-ha, on the other hand, showed up in a different pop music landscape, thus it's easier to confuse her stuff for IndecisiveParody or take it at face value?
*** Addendum: even in the ''Ill'' era the Beasties included some songs mocking/deflating their MemeticBadass image, like "She's Crafty". No idea about her.
* Why does she get so much hate anyway? I mean, she has some of the worst lyrics, but her beats are kinda catchy, and she's no worse than Jason Derulo or the Black Eyed Peas.
** Because all the indier-than-thou people want something to bitch about.
** Because some people genuinely dislike her, but get drowned out by the people riding the bandwagon?
** Because 95% of the people who complain about Kesha couldn't recognize a parody if it... uh... did something that would sound witty here.
*** [[PoesLaw Ahem]].
* Okay, so supposedly she's an intelligent person (apparently, she scored 1500 on her [=SATs=]). So why isn't she actually using that brain she claims she has? This may be all for the fun of it for her, but if she's really as intelligent as she claims she could be doing things that could change the world! Besides, if you're really so smart, do you really want the general public thinking you're stupid and shallow? Unless she has some sort of master plan behind all this, I really just don't get it.
** ViewersAreMorons at its best. Jessica Simpson, if I recall correctly, was the same way: really good at school but we all remember her for confusing seafood and poultry. Also look at LadyGaga; she's a very good singer and can play the piano competently. You wouldn't know either from listening to her music. Talent and wisdom don't sell. Being a dumb blond with big tits does.
** There is a master plan. Look where the S should be in her stage name. She's hardly the first smart person to get rich by pandering to the Lowest Common Denominator, Howard Stern has been riding the same gravy train for years.
** My God, are you the same person from the JBM Psych page? Just because you have the intelligence doesn't mean you HAVE to use it to benefit society. You don't have to be a cancer researcher or a CEO. You can use your skills (or lack thereof) to make yourself happy. And apparently she donates to animal welfare and relief efforts to Tennessee, so she's not a complete lump of waste. Also, if she's really so smart, why should she care what the general public thinks? She's smarter than them.
** Because [[CyndiLauper Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!]]
** More realistically, because she doesn't want to. Intelligent people don't have some sort of debt they owe the world. Some how the fact that she's smart has turned into a ''negative'', which she's said is part of the reason she acts like she does in the first place. She's doing something she finds fun, and more power to her.
** I can see the logic in her just wanting to have fun, but doesn't that make you very hedonistic if all you do is all for your own enjoyment and you don't try to do anything to use your talents to help others? (Yes, maybe I'm being a bit too much of a WideEyedIdealist here, but the point still stands.)
*** You're not being a WideEyedIdealist, you're being as self centered as you accuse her of being. She's giving people enjoyment. That, in and of itself, is helping others. Beyond that she has absolutely ''no'' obligation to the world, just like everyone else. Smart people do not owe society a debt, and are just as free to do things they find enjoyable and/or profitable as the rest of the masses.
**** Maybe I was saying what I was saying wrong. What I'm saying is that people in general should want to get out there and do something to help the world. Not just smart people, despite what I was unintentionally implying there. No, she doesn't have any obligation to the world, of course not, nobody does. But people in general should still want to lend some helping hands instead of just doing things for themselves, as naïve of an idea as that is.
***** But now you're making all sorts of insane assumptions. How do you know that Ke$ha doesn't donate a large amount of her earnings to charity? Or that she doesn't do all sorts of wonderful things. You're still making a judgment that says "She's smart, she should do something better than make music people enjoy."
****** Unless I'm mistaken, she has given quite a bit of money to charity; she definitely did a benefit concert for Nashville when it was flooded, if nothing else. And hey, she's still young. For all you know, she's planning to become a doctor and cure cancer, AIDS, and the common cold when she's older and is just taking a break from heavy stuff until then.
** Getting good grades/high test scores doesn't necessarily mean she is exceptionally intelligent. Considering how many people are heavy partiers and have a skill for regurgitating what they read in a textbook, it is fair to suspect that she may be one of these people.
*** and Partying doesn't mean you're unintelligent. I get all this We Hate The Bergiousie and People Who Have the Time and Skill to Be Educated And Also Party, but, you've got less evidence backing up anything you say. Acing the SATs is about more than regurgitation.
** Maybe the pressure of having to "do something meaningful" with her intelligence got to her, so she said "fuck it" and decided to do her own thing? Plenty of genius-level intellects end up in careers BECAUSE they don't put undue stress in them. I think a better way to put your concern is "Why does she feel she has to put on a dumb party girl persona at all?" Like it was said, intelligent people like to party too. Why the so-called parody? And only selling to the Lowest Common Denominator is NOT a good excuse. The LCM don't care about any supposed deeper meaning or satire, and most of the people who would get the "joke" are running smack into PoesLaw territory.
** Being intelligent does not automatically make you good spirited and selfless. She's probably intelligent enough to realize pop sells much better than anything else, and that being rich is easier than not
** In "We R Who We R" - "I'm sick of being so serious." Just because you're intellegent, and like school doesn't mean you don't get stressed about school, or want to spend your time reading about the Russian Revolution.
* And what's with the dollar sign?

*** She took her name off of it herself, apperently.

** Alcohol kills bacteria and is the main incrediant in liquid soap, so if we took that quote it at face value Jack Daniels would not be ''that'' bad for your teeth.

* Why so much Autotune?
** Because everyone else is doing it, and the fans don't seem to care.
** Because when it's used that way it's called a Vocoder. I swear people just like using the term Auto Tune to make people sound bad and to feed their own ego's.
** Because she sounds terrible without it.
* On the same note, has Ke$ha seen Mick Jagger? I could understand wanting to find a guy with his talent, but really, [[http://img12.nnm.ru/2/5/7/9/6/2579664b2f0f318147ea02450fae8354_full.jpg this]] is what she wants guys to look like.
** Maybe she has some weird fetish for guys who look like they're 80 years old?
** Maybe because it's the first celebrity name she could think of that rhymes with Swagger?
** If you were wasted out of ''your'' mind, you probably wouldn't care.
** And, really, there's no shortage of women who think Mick Jagger is sex on legs despite his age and ugliness.
*** Who was also young once.
** Maybe it's a {{Hair}} reference?
** Or she could literally mean Mick Jagger, so rich, famous guys.
* What the fuck was Ke$ha on when she thought of [[NightmareFuel the Take It Off video?]]
* Why doesnt Kesha just admit she reads TV tropes. There's no other possible explanation for [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HMwPcK0uIM&feature=channel Take it Off: Kesha'n Friends Version]]'s utter insanity. Seriously, how else do you explain all those references or the random RPG Dance Battle with Laser Chainsaw versus Evil Sorceress Kesha?

*** "And no you don't wanna mess with us/I got Jesus on my necklace." This is a clever attempt to turn religion against the Religious Right. Ke$ha's referencing Jesus and his New Testament compassion, as opposed to the slightly more fire-and-brimstone God of Leviticus.

*** "I'm telling you 'bout the shit we do/We're selling our clothes, sleeping in cars/Dressin it down, hitting on dudes (HARD)" I hope I don't have to explain ''that'' symbolism.

**** Beyond that, of course, the song also has a lot of lyrics that are point out how redicious it is that our society is making such a big deal about something like sexual orientation.

* I don't get how Blah Blah Blah is unfortunate implications for spinning a known cliche around how is that unfortunate, while Grow A Pear wasn't. Grow A Pear kind of blanks itself out because she is a girl and she is being 'physical'
** Because if a male were to do it he would get a lot of shit thrown at him from feminists, who would call him a HeManWomanHater.

* Grow A Pear . . . why the "pear?" Did she just want to spell it that way because it looked cool? She's obviously not talking about growing delicious fruit, so why couldn't she just spell it "pair?"
** Don't forget, this is the same woman who uses a dollar sign in place of the 's' in her name and has songs with titles like We (a)R(e) Who We (a)R(e), Kiss (a)N(d) Tell, and Ti(c)k To(c)k. It's not the first time she's used the XtremeKoolLetterz / LuckyCharmsTitle tropes.
** Actually, it could be a bit of a StealthPun GeniusBonus DoubleEntendre combo. The uterus is frequently compared to an upside down pear... Think about it.
** Because of the giant dancing pear she has come on stage during performances of that song?
* Where is the actual evidence that her music is supposed to be a parody of anything? I dont think that she is as bad as everyone says but she always seemed like one of those lucky flash in the pan pop stars who actually managed to become popular, I have never seen anything that indicates she is anything but what she appears to be at face value besides a few claims from her that I find incredibly iffy from her.
** Between the songs that didn't make it to Animal or Cannibal and her ''well backed up'' statements the degree of Parody is pretty apparent. That said; you can still be serious when you parody something. It's more of an affectionate jab than biting sarcasm.