Contemporary R&B and Hip Hop is male dominated, let's not pretend it isn't a male directed genre. Yes you've got the commercial powerhouse of Nicki Minaj and the questionable talent of Iggy Azalea, but although these women may be raking in the moola for their craft they exploit their sexuality to garner attention. They play into the hands of misogynism, perhaps without realising and to an extent in complete denial. They are not exempt from the derogatory message sent by Chris Brown's 'Loyal' and the tacky sexual charge of Jeremih's 'Down On Me'. Miguel's always been a little left field as far as conforming to the ideals of the genre and his inability/refusal to fit in is no clearer than on 'what's normal anyway' from his third studio album Wildheart. The song features the lyrics "Too immoral for the Christians/ Too moral for the cut throat/ Too far out for the in crowd..." and his soulful harmonising emotes a genuine desire to fit into some archetype, but all the while he challenges this with the poignant "don't let them change you'. He wants to fit in but isn't willing to compromise his morals and more than anything, his musical direction.
