Santigold Praises Beyonce, Disses LMFAO

Becky Bain | February 27, 2012 4:14 pm

Santigold had a nice long chat with Pitchfork, and though the main focus was primarily on her forthcoming LP Master of My Make-Believe, a large chunk of the one-on-one was spent dissecting the current state of music — specifically pop music. And a few stars aside (Adele and Beyonce, you’re in the clear), she sure didn’t have a whole lot of good things to say about it.

Santigold — who claims that she “love[s] some pop music and I’ve always said that I want to make pop” — totally didn’t mean to slam Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in her “Big Mouth” video: “That was actually not intended in the way everyone thought,” she said. “I am not that familiar with Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, I swear to God. I missed that. I can’t say the director missed that, though — it might have been his brilliant interpretation of my song, but we never discussed it.”

We find it hard to believe that the “Disparate Youth” singer didn’t give the clear for what appeared in her music video — particularly something that would be construed as a diss to her musical peers. But if Santigold did have a say in who would be critiqued in her video, she probably would have chosen LMFAO instead:

I’m disappointed with the state of music right now, but it’s not really about anybody specific. I think there’s a lack of true art, and the fanfare is valued over actual substance. It’s like you don’t have to make good music to be fucking huge. Now, I’ll say that, and all the little kids will be like, “Fuck you. I hope you die.” [laughs]Don’t let them think you dissed Lady Gaga! I watched a music awards show last year and started crying afterwards. I just felt really sad that people go along with stupid wack shit. I’m sorry, but LMFAO performed at the Super Bowl? Aren’t they a joke band? That type of shit makes me cry. I’m like, “Really?”

When asked to name pop artists she enjoys, she namechecks Adele (wow, unique choice, there), calling her “really great”, and has only positive things to say about Beyonce: “Beyoncé’s awesome.You can see her trying to grow and push boundaries while not leaving her audience behind. She wants to learn what else is going on in music, while [people like me] all want to be huge pop stars.” (She also boasts that she was the person who introduced Bey to Major Lazer’s “Pon De Floor”, which was eventually sampled in “Run The World (Girls)”. Um, thanks for that?)

“I could easily be like, ‘Can someone write me a huge pop song so I can be like fucking Rihanna?'” she continues. “I tried writing with a big pop writer for this album, but I just can’t do it. I have to write my lyrics. I’m only going to do music if I enjoy it and I’m proud of what I’m doing.”

Do you agree with Santigold’s point? Or are LMFAO’s musical offerings — silly though they may be — just as valid as anyone else’s?

[Via Pitchfork]