Selena Gomez recently released the music video for her single “Good for You,” but the biggest surprise is that she’s cut A$AP Rocky out of the track entirely. Gomez had originally recorded the song with A$AP Rocky as a featured rapper, but for the music video the former Disney star has apparently decided to fly solo. The video takes place mostly inside a steamy shower, and it is highly sexual. Gomez has cited Beyonce, Lorde and Lana Del Rey as artistic influences on the project. Fans have speculated that the song is either about Justin Bieber or a newer love-interest of the 22 year-old, Zedd.
In the video, Gomez is shown lying on a green couch or in other various places such as the shower shooting her characteristic baby-face look at the camera. She sings, “Make you never wanna leave.” The video was directed by industry veteran Sophie Muller. Critics are wondering on social media what the reasoning was behind the decision to cut A$AP Rocky from the project. Some experts have suggested that it would have been too sexually suggestive and uncomfortable.
Selena Gomez grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas, and, just like many young women of the area, she was bred for celebrity from an early age. The collaboration with A$AP Rocky was definitely a venture into new territory for the wholesome country girl. She has been more famous for such middle-American collaborations as Disney and Walmart, while the New York-based rapper has worked on decidedly more urban and politically-relevant projects. Gomez was a child star on a television series called “The Wizards of Waverly Place.” She has been active in a few philanthropic initiatives, including encouraging young people to vote during voting season, and she has also done some promotional campaigns for UNICEF.
A$AP Rocky developed his musical persona as a member of the Harlem-based hip-hop collective A$AP Mob. He signed a record contract with Sony Music Entertainment in 2011, and it was this path that has led him into such collaborations as this recent one with Gomez on her single, “Good for You.” He has not yet made a comment to the press regarding Gomez’ decision to cut him from the music video.