Pharrell Williams wrote hits for many musicians, including “I’m a Slave for You” for Britney Spears. Today he would be more careful in his choice of words, says the singer.
US musician and songwriter Pharrell Williams is struggling with his choice of words in the Britney Spears hit “I’m a Slave for You”. “You can’t play with that word anymore these days,” the 51-year-old told the US magazine “The Hollywood Reporter” with reference to the word “slave” in the song title.
This term describes “what my people, my DNA and my ancestors had to endure and overcome,” explained the black musician. It also stands for “all the cruelty that happens every day in human trafficking.”
Williams, who himself had a huge hit with “Happy,” wrote songs for Spears and many other musicians or was involved in them. With the club hit “I’m a Slave for You” in 2001, Spears shed her image as a teen pop star and gave herself a more wicked image.
“I think there are a lot of songs where I wouldn’t say half the things I used to say,” Williams explained. But for him it’s not about political correctness, but about something bigger: “It’s about having a universal consciousness.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
