How a Confederate monument from Eatonton, Georgia, ended up in a Beats ad
The “Send The Addy/May I” official video on Flo Milli’s YouTube account already raked in 1.45 million views since it premiered on Sept. 18, 2020.
The “Send The Addy” vibe is reminiscent of the ’90s style. Filled with a denim on denim (on denim) pairing — starting with a super crop jean hoodie over a snatched corset top and a matching jean bikini. Then comes the plum-colored knee-length boots paired with gold-plated (or real gold) bamboo earrings, a plethora of rings, and a chain belt. And the sleek cornrows don’t look bad either. Even the video starts with a nostalgic calligraphy font reminiscent of tattoos dedicated to loved ones with lettering embellished with flairs and curves.
The Alabama rapper is sporting dramatic lowriders that make you exclaim “ohKAY” in the most impressive tone. Sitting on the hood of a sparkling green car with an “ATITAGAIN” sign, the vehicle can be properly visually imagined as a 3D representation of the Green & Gold lottery tickets.
At the 44 second mark, it transitions from the sexually domineering theme of “Send the Addy” to the pink and flowery theme of “May I’ matched with a more uptempo and catchier beat.
This latter (aka longer) part of the video is full of nail, hair, motorcycle, and outfit accessories that give off dominant feminity feels. Hues of baby pink, luscious red, cotton candy blue, and shiny purple seen on satin Versace pants. And not to forget the gold-studded motorcycles straight off a Louis Vitton ad campaign and the 1990s inspo carried over from the first part of the video.
It’s evoking ’90s LA Chicano culture with Betty Bop and even modern K-POP inspirations. Topped off with impeccably dressed and dancing black women dressed in classic white crops and all-American jean shorts.
The dancers’ moves are instantaneously infectious and bop-py, making you tap your feet to their confident twerks over the song’s clapping beat. At 1:52 minute, Flo Milli’s outfit changes to an orange velvety, fur bucket hat and match bikini top over a pleated (jean) skirt.
The color and the texture reminds me of chopped up candied oranges and the skirt of many iconic outfits from “Mean Girls.”
All in all, it’s a definite rap bop perfect for all-girl hangouts, dance sessions, and sleepover antics.
And can I just take a moment to say thankyouaboutdamntimemuch to Flo Milli and the video team for the #allbodiesandboodiesmatter representation within the video.
So let me tell you the range of emotions I had when I saw Tik Tok’s once-trending rapper scoff and dance off to a confederate statue in Eatonton, Georgia in a Beats by Dre ad.
A sure thought was: Clapbacking to confederate statues is a yes (more like a YASSS) sentiment at all times, but having said that, the 30-second ad still missed the mark.
Maybe not to the extent of Kendall Jenner’s flippant and faulty simplification of police brutality in the infamous Pepsi ad. But a tilt of the head and the feeling of faux pas wasn’t felt just by me.
In 11 hours since its debut, the ad already has comments on the commercialization of black pain, history, and people for synthetic cultural clout.
Verified by the Historical Land Mark Project, the ad focuses on the north-facing part of the Putnam County Confederate Monument that states, “When marble wears away, and monuments are dust, the songs that guard our soldier’s clay, will still fulfill their trust.” The video also pans to show you the south side and the base with the dates of 1861–1865 and the etching “Lest we forget” writing, respectively.
According to the Vanishing North Georgia project, the marble statue was dedicated in 1908 by the Dixie Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Situated in the middle of the Eatonton Historic District, and part of the National Register of Historic Places, it drew in a crowd of 3,000 people and Confederate general Clement A. Evans as the speaker.
Evans, the namesake of Evans County in southeastern Georgia, co-wrote the 12-volume Confederate Military History and the four-part Cyclopedia of Georgia.
So while Flo Milli’s unfazed disregard for the monument through a “boi bye” dance is fitting to the performer and the symbol, it also feels odd to see that interaction in an ad directed by someone who isn’t the performer.
It begs the question: Was this a collaborative idea between the artist and the creative producers? What was their intent? What do they hope the audience reflects on when they see the ad?
Personally, I’m curious about: How did know about Eatonton? Why did they choose it? What specific significance of this place over others that have similar history? What does Flo Milli think of the symbol, the ad, and if (or how) her song “May I” ties into any of this? and so much more.
The Southern Poverty Law Center data indicates 58 confederate public icon removals in 2020, the highest in the last eight years. It superseded the 49 removals that took place in 2017, but a definite uptick from the 5 and 8 that occurred in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
SPLC noted in a study of confederate monuments that over 1,700 such symbols exist in public spaces.
One of the most notable and the largest commemoration is Stone Mountain in Georgia. Aptly described as Mount Rushmore of the South by the SPLC, the carving depicts Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson on over 1.57 acre of area.
The site was owned by the Veneable Brothers who bought it for the main purpose of creating a memorial to the Confederacy. Side note: Granite from the mountain was used for the U.S. Capitol Building among other American landmarks.
Later the mountain was the literal place of the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan and subsequent meetings. Many leaders, including Stacey Abrams and presidents of the NAACP, along with citizens, have called for the carving’s removal to no avail.
“Georgia lawmakers protected all Confederate memorials, including the giant Stone Mountain carving, in 2001 as part of a compromise to remove an image of the Confederate flag from the state flag,” stated the SPLC report.
The project was complete and open to the public on the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination and serves as one of the most visited places in Georgia.
For many reasons, from family-friendly attractions to firework shows on the Fourth of July — but through experience, it’s mainly because the sordid origination and history of the place are not addressed in schools. How can we expect people to make an informed decision on aspects they’re not taught or aware of? Moreover, many visitors are the diverse faces of Georgia’s evolving landscape that has families who’ve settled in this state from around the world. And to them, it’s an attraction of food, family time, and hikes to get a view of the city.
So while the state legislature nor certain descendants are ready to remove this divisive homage — the steady stream of immigrants making a home in this state will literally walk over this glorification of racism. Maybe not financially or actively taking down the monument, but still providing a bittersweet justice through unrealized disregard. A lack of glorification is just what it deserves.
A special shout out to Dylan Lindsey on YouTube who pointed out the monument is from Eatonton.
