Darren is a Bronx-born writer/reporter who's dabbled in entertainment journalism for over a decade. Bylines have appeared in/on Maxim and Maxim online, AOL's The Boombox, Alternative Press, Popmatters, Star, Blender and others. His CD reviews have been published in the All-Music Guides to Rock and Hip-Hop.
Darren Ratner
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘No Church in the Wild,’ Jay-Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean
A track from Jay-Z and Kanye West's debut collaboration, ‘Watch the Throne,’ ‘No Church in the Wild’ didn’t attract as much attention lyrically as it did with this Romain Gavras-directed video that accompanied it (think M.I.A.’s ‘Born Free’)...
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘My Homies Still,’ Lil Wayne Featuring Big Sean
Despite this video being published three days prior to July’s ‘Dark Knight Rises’ shooting in Aurora, Colo., this suburbia-on-acid showing from Lil Wayne dropped many jaws when skeletons appeared in a movie theater three-and-a-half minutes in...
Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘Stupid H–,’ Nicki Minaj
The BET network never offered up specifics as to why they decided to ban this video in early January. In fairness, spurting the word “h--” 52 times in the same song (way to research, Spin magazine!) and flashes of a birthday-suited Barbie might have had something to do with it...
10 Controversial Videos of 2012: ‘F— N Get It Over With,’ Marsha Ambrosius
She didn't exactly make national headlines, but British R&B crooner Marsha Ambrosius was in PR crisis mode after this video for 'F--- N Get It Over With,' off her upcoming 'Friends & Lovers' album, prompted rumors to spread about her sexuality -- is she gay or not? The en...