The black and white effect used in the music video could be in relation to the racial tension during the time the music video was produced. It also i feel sets an aggressive tone and mood to the video.
The music video also relates to Adorno and Horkheimers theory that there is a relationship between the lyrics and the movement in the music video, as certain words are said and image that represents that word appears on the screen for the viewer. The narrative of the music video is his former life before he became a huge sensation, him growing up in the streets of Brooklyn NYC.
The iconography in the music video represents its genre well this is due to the baggy clothes, trainers and furthermore the voyeurism towards the females in the music video.
The editing of the music video is very fast paced, with goes well in relation to the speed of the song seeing as it falls under the rap genre.
There are also street dancers present in the music video this also goes well into relation with the genre.There are many aspects within the music video which relate to the stereo-type of the genre, including the graffiti, police,jail,derogatory treatment of women and the illegal dog fighting.
The music video has an old school feel to it, this perhaps presenting him when he was 'real' retelling his childhood. Vincent Gallo is also present in the music video and he is highly recognised as a integrity based man.
In the music video this is oppositional use of the romantic connotations, as there is a man present on the stairs who rips up a love heart which adds to the grimier effect.
A hand held camera was used to shoot the music video which created a more realistic setting and feeling to the production of the video, making the audience feel as if they were present at the moment it was being shot.
A lot of low angles shots are used looking up at Jay-z suggesting he is higher up or superior to his peers in Brooklyn however the camera angle changes and becomes a high angle shot when the police are present, showing that he is inferior to them and the law, but could also be in relation to the racial tension of black vs white.
A lot of low angles shots are used looking up at Jay-z suggesting he is higher up or superior to his peers in Brooklyn however the camera angle changes and becomes a high angle shot when the police are present, showing that he is inferior to them and the law, but could also be in relation to the racial tension of black vs white.
The music video starts with Jay-Z walking up some stairs this could be a metaphor for him making his way to the top. Throughout the music video there are also intertexual references to Rick Ruben founder of Def Jam records therefore again he is promoting the record label he is associated with. In the music video there are numerous exit signs this could be a way of him presenting how he is getting out of the ghetto.
No comments:
Post a Comment