F.U.B.U. - Black Music, Vol. 3
An Ode To...Music Videos
“It’s not an album, it’s a movie”. How many times have you heard that phrase? How many times has it actually been true?
The best music videos can be a distilled version of the cinematic experience, they can be a launch pad for some of the most visionary directors to ever hold a camera.
The third and final issue of Black Music is an ode to the music video, the moment where multiple mediums collide to create an audio-visual masterpiece that leaves you in awe. Over the course of five questions and some final thoughts, three writers (LaChelle Chrysanne, Ricky Denham and John Noire) wax lyrical about some of their favorite treats to the senses. Enjoy!
What is the first music video you remember watching growing up?
LaChelle:
My earliest memory of a music video is “Waterfalls” by TLC. The visual effects that morphed the group into water (similar to the VFX used in another iconic video, “What’s It Gonna Be?!” by Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson, four years later) were cutting-edge at the time. I was only seven years old when this music video came out, so I didn’t understand the meaning behind the song or the storytelling in the music video, but I would sing this song all the time. As an adult, I’m impressed by how this song and music video addressed serious issues like AIDS / HIV and gun violence but was also a wildly successful pop record. They really don’t make music like this anymore.
Ricky:
Some of my earliest memories in general were watching music videos. My mom and grandma regularly had MTV and BET playing in their house. The summer of 2000 had plenty of jams that I remember watching for the first time but three videos stood out to me the most because our TV and local radio stations kept playing these records over and over again: Jagged Edge’s “Let’s Get Married”, Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough”, and Joe’s “I Wanna Know”. All three videos featuring artists singing their hearts out, all three videos focusing on body language that portrayed the heartache over a potential / lost lover.
John:
There are two videos that stick out from my childhood memories: The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Sky’s The Limit” and 2Pac’s “Do For Love”. The former seemed like an idyllic, if unrealistic, preview of what I could look forward to in adulthood while the latter fit in, somewhat seamlessly, with my Toonami shows (except for the scenes with 2Pac in claymation, which freaked me out as a kid).
Other mainstays during that time were Janet Jackson’s “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” (which felt like home) and anything by Will Smith (especially “Men In Black”).
Safe to say that 1997 was the year!
What is your favorite music video of all time?
LaChelle:
“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott holds a special place in my heart. Directed by Hype Williams, this video blended the weird with the cool. The fish-eye lens used in exterior shots (as Missy drives in her jeep, sits on a hill, and performs at the beach with dancers) created a distorted reality which effectively said “you’re not in the real world anymore; you’re in Missy’s world”.
The set design utilized colors and shapes that resemble a Black planet or the interior of a spaceship party. Cameos from notable artists at the time (like Lil’ Kim, 702, Da Brat, and Yo-Yo), bopping around like glitching robots to the beat of the track and dolled up in distinctively ‘90s hairstyles, clothing and makeup, cemented Missy’s unique flair for being on-trend yet ahead of the curve with a futuristic outlook.
The nucleus of this video is the image of Missy in that inflatable black suit (styled by June Ambrose) that resembled a garbage bag. Most women rappers at the time were leaning towards a sexy aesthetic. The choice to turn Missy into a big black blob felt like a very intentional way to differentiate her from the norm. This video sparked a seed of genius that evolved into Missy creating some of the most imaginative and out-of-this-world music videos of all time. It's hard to imagine what music videos in the late ‘90s / early 2000s would look like without the influence of this video and the people who brought it to life.
Another video that comes to mind is “Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill. The New York City in 1967 vs. 1998 split screen perfectly depicts how the record incorporates doo-wop with hip-hop. I love that 1960s Lauryn did the singing, while 1990s Lauryn rapped – it reflects a period when decades were more distinct in style, expression, and sound. I don't think decades have been as acutely distinguishable since then. For that reason, this music video feels like it was ushering us out of one century and into the next.
Ricky:
“Remember The Time” by Michael Jackson – I mean…come on. Look. At. It.
(i) Magic Johnson joined two A-List casting dream teams and collaborated with two MJs in 1992
(ii) Iman stunningly portrays a Nefertiti that could take a doctor’s breath away
(iii) Eddie Murphy, the king of comedy at the time, with multiple classics under his belt (including a classic rom-com on the way), portrays the pharaoh Ramesses II, threatened by Michael Jackson’s presence
(iv) Even Tiny Lister Jr. makes an appearance (as an assistant to Eddie Murphy, trying to catch Michael Jackson)
“Remember The Time” had a potent storyline that was easy to follow, not complex, not abstract, not complicated. It was just about a man willing to steal the love of your life if necessary.
Do you remember how beautiful the ancient Egyptian-influenced choreography looked? And the dance break that deserves a standing ovation? Do you know how many people still try to replicate that? Fatima Robinson didn’t come to play.
The set and costume design of “Remember The Time” is A+. 24-year-old John Singleton was steadily rolling and doubling up on his resume. He was recently nominated for his classic debut, breaking glass ceilings for being the first African-American and youngest person to be nominated for ‘Best Director’ at the Academy Awards (a record that still holds to this day). Singleton was on fire when he directed this masterpiece and was well on his way to alchemize a romance drama starring Michael’s younger sister the following year. The perfect domino effect.
“Remember The Time” isn’t just a music video. This is a short film worthy of a screening at the Louvre Museum. It looked like so much fun to shoot and it’s so fun to watch every time. Who can turn this down? Damn near all of Michael Jackson’s short films were masterpieces and massively influential. This one is just my favorite.
John:
My favorite music video of all time has changed over the years. At one point, it was Missy Elliott’s “Sock It 2 Me” which was basically a live-action video game but, recently, I would have to say that it’s Donell Jones’ “This Luv”.
When I look back on the ‘90s and early 2000s, I often think about this video. I think of a time when Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks were on the front covers of magazines and shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Martin ruled the TV screens.
With the benefit of hindsight, watching “This Luv” feels like a sultry swansong of that era. From its quiet but vibrant color palette to its luscious and lingering, close-up shots, “This Luv” is a video fixated on beauty. The beauty of blackness, the beauty of community, the beauty of finding that perfect someone for a specific moment in time.
I recently posted some stills from the “This Luv” music video on Notes and Elijah reminded me of what seems to have disappeared between that period and now: soul. The soul leaving an artist’s body as they sang like the world was ending, the soul that stirs within you when you look into a video vixen’s eyes, the soul that has flowed through Black music since the beginning of time.
Who are some of your favorite music video directors and why?
LaChelle:
I love Melina Matsoukas. She is a master at cinematography, and her style is so specific that I can identify her work (even if it's a departure from her previous material). The visuals she directed for Rihanna and Beyoncé specifically pushed their respective aesthetics and, by extension, their star power to the next level. One of my favorite videos she directed is “Sensual Seduction” by Snoop Dogg. It looks exactly how the song feels.
Paul Hunter is a director who should be held in the same regard as Hype Williams or Dave Meyers. The music videos he shot for Aaliyah (“One In A Million” and “We Need a Resolution”) are some of my favorites. His work with Bad Boy shifted the style and approach to music videos in the ‘90s. Everything became more shiny and flashy. He can also do something minimalist and stripped down that will blow your mind (see: “Untitled” by D’Angelo).
Similarly, I love Diane Martel's ability to shoot simple concepts with minimal effects and production design (like “Touch” by Omarion and “Promise” by Ciara) or create something outside the box (like “Young, Fresh N’ New” by Kelis).
Ricky:
Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” is an underrated treasure because he paved the way to share music videos that was exclusively hip-hop. But he also didn’t hesitate to direct rising stars like Roxanne Shante, Nas, and the Wu-Tang Clan. McDaniels’ documentarian style was simple and realistic. The total opposite of flashy, but rich in depth. Give him his flowers!
The collective AWGE is a beast for a new generation where their actions speak way louder than their words. You have no idea what they are gonna do next. Their style is pretty unpredictable and incredibly adventurous. Their contribution to the visual appeal of A$AP Mob and their associates is an Internet timestamp. As the era of quality hip-hop videos started to decline, AWGE amped up this medium and digitally took advantage of their craft and skillset.
John:
Hype Williams – Hype was a master of several styles, one look at his videography and you can see how it gradually evolved from minimalist posse-cuts to maximalist short films set to a five-minute soundtrack.
Hype made hip-hop music videos larger than life. Hype made hip-hop music videos a work of art, a visual medium that deserves to be studied alongside the films of Jacques Demy and Wong Kar Wai.
It’s a shame that Belly was the only opportunity that Hype had to translate his talents to the big screen but what he has achieved on the small one is easily worthy of acclaim.
Other great directors from that era are Dave Meyers, Director X and Spike Jonze. Also, shoutout to Malik Hassan Sayeed, who deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Roger Deakins, Christopher Doyle and Freddie Young as one of the greatest cinematographers of all time. The way Malik portrays Black skin on film is simply breathtaking.
Which artist do you think has the best music videos: (i) currently and (ii) of all time?
LaChelle:
Currently, Solange is the girlie. Her directorial debut (“Sandcastle Disco”) should've given us the inkling that she is immensely talented in the visual realm but her last two albums and self-directed, accompanying music videos cemented this. I occasionally re-watch the When I Get Home visual album to study her directorial approach. Solange has a sharp eye for composition, color, movement, natural landscapes, and architecture.
Kendrick Lamar is also one of the few artists in my generation who follows the tradition of creating multi-layered music videos. “Alright” is one of the greatest music videos in the last ten years, and I love how he paid homage to Gordon Parks in “ELEMENT.”. I watched “Not Like Us” on what felt like a loop for weeks, examining the camera techniques and symbolism.
Of all time, it's Missy Elliott for me. She is the blueprint for pushing the envelope. Her music videos are worlds within themselves. She's never afraid to take risks, be bold, weird, or take us to another galaxy.
Ricky:
A$AP Mob is gritty and virtually sensational. The team cooperation results in explosive sequences.
Tems catapults the beauty of herself and the beauty of her people, often shooting in settings of solitude or communal settings. She seamlessly uses colors to coordinate her wardrobe with her background.
Little Simz is not afraid to be herself and always strives for an otherworldly experience. She is cut from that Missy Elliott cloth and executes her style effortlessly.
There’s no limit to Tyler, The Creator. His tone varies like a pendulum swing: one that could either be a dreamy, sweet sequence of soft joy or a nightmare of distortion and disturbing imagery.
And then there’s Megan Thee Stallion, who pays for her videos out of her own pocket, consistently proving that she is here to stay and she ain’t going nowhere. And she EATS every single time. She cares about the game. She cares about MCing. She gives a fuck about the art form.
But Michael Jackson is The King. Period point blank. He set the bar high, pioneered the trend of using his music videos as a movie set and breaking records while doing it. He was the Jackie Robinson of MTV, breaking the color barrier and being the first Black artist to have a featured music video on the still relatively young channel that defined a generation. The only competition, outside of himself, that I can think of is Janet (who set the standard magnificently high in her own right). She is certainly up there for orchestrating some of the greatest music videos. No sibling duo is touching them. Ever.
John:
Currently, I would say it’s ScHoolboy Q.
Ever since Blank Face, ScHoolboy Q’s videography has grown in leaps and bounds. Some particular videos of note are “JoHn Muir” and “Dope Dealer”. The way these directors (Aplusfilmz and Ryan Staake respectively) depict the thin line between life and death via inanimate objects perfectly ties in with the themes of the album and how ScHoolboy Q’s songs are universally relatable to anyone struggling to make ends meet.
Other contenders are the Little Homies and Vince Staples (who has mastered the art of depicting surrealist violence and subverting the white gaze – see: The Vince Staples Show).
In terms of all time, I’m going to say Beyoncé. While Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes are the obvious choices, Beyoncé elevated the art form into something transcendent.
When Beyoncé dropped her self-titled album, the thing that made it standout was the quality of the music videos. The different directors and cinematic styles she employed for each of her songs exquisitely captured the different moods and sounds expressed throughout the album.
However, I picked Beyoncé because when I think of music videos, I think of images. I think of snapshsots that are deeply seared into my brain and can instantly be recalled from memory. From the monochromatic design and outfits on “Say My Name” to the Jay-Z cosplay on “Upgrade U”, Beyoncé’s videos always leave you with a visual memento which, in my opinion, is the power and purpose of film.
What makes a music video great and is it a lost art form?
LaChelle:
What makes a music video great is its ability to immerse the viewer in the experience of a song in a way that either enhances or re-imagines it. I don’t think it’s a lost art form, so much as I feel that music videos are undervalued and under-resourced in the current landscape of the music industry. The budgets are not as high and we no longer have regular TV programming that centers music videos, so there is, naturally, less emphasis on them from a marketing and consumption standpoint. Add to this, the shift to consume content that is less than 90 seconds and in a 9:16 format, and many artists are approaching making music videos to fit the mold of content creation, which, in some ways, limits the possibilities.
Music videos are still an effective way to set new artists apart in a saturated market. Many emerging artists have caught onto this and have been instrumental in shaping their image by making music videos that reflect their unique style, taste, and individuality. I love it when an artist establishes a visual approach to their music. Over time, you get something like a cinematic universe for an artist that showcases visual and thematic commonalities. Artists trying to carve out a unique path should establish their visual style and work towards applying it in their music videos, even if it’s low-budget. Some emerging artists doing a great job at this are Amindi, Fana Hues, Pip Millett, and Jean Deaux.
Ricky:
Storytelling is everything. What’s the message? What’s the vision? What colors match the story? Do the cuts between the shots dance with the rhythm of the record? Fast-paced or slow motion? What type of camera lens should be used?
The art and execution of a good music video is still alive and well. We just have to take the effort to find them. Back in the day, we didn’t have to look that hard to find a good video. On the other hand, videos used to be crazy expensive and paying for production equipment, picking a location, figuring out distribution, casting, wardrobe, editing etc. could cost millions of dollars. We rarely see strenuous efforts to produce videos on that kind of level now, for multiple reasons that coexist.
First, the notoriously corrupt music industry is struggling to save itself against the competing rise of the Internet where people could easily share videos and music on YouTube and streaming services. Second, the impact of editing software like Avid, Adobe After Effects, Premiere, Final Cut, and DaVinci made it easier for directors and editors to cut and assemble their finished sequences in a much faster and cheaper way (emphasis on cheaper). On top of that, once you add the digital revolution, the rise of Apple, and the steady elevation of Internet access across the globe, and videos simply don’t require as much time, money and effort to create.
But, just like songs themselves, the quality of production is questionable at best and, sometimes, straight-up lazy. Editing tropes are continuously recycled and repeated. Several new artists are here today and gone tomorrow. There’s an all-around lack of structure and cohesion. No more storylines, just splattered ‘visuals’.
I’m all for DIY production and settings. I encourage it even. But try to figure out how to stand out rather than struggle to fit in. Don’t rely on the easy formula. Let the sounds match your aura.
Also, what happened to B-side promotional sequences? You know, when the artist would abruptly cut to another record in the middle of the song? Where the visuals and vibes became completely different in a matter of seconds? But it’s the same video by the same artist? And it wasn’t the whole song but just a crumb of it?
Like when Missy Elliott cut to “Lick Shots” in the middle of “Get Ur Freak On”. Or when 112 cut to “Dance With Me” in the middle of “Peaches And Cream”. Or when Monica cut to “Get It Off” in the middle of “Knock Knock”. Sometimes, artists did this in the beginning of their music videos (for example, Busta Rhymes promoting “Everything Remains Raw” before cutting to “Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check”). Nearly twenty years later, you briefly see this technique come alive again at the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” music video (from the cadence and flow to the head-banging in the car) but it’s unfortunately a lost art form, for the most part, at this point. You don’t see much of that anymore.
John:
The thing that makes a music video great for me is if it captures the spirit of the record. It can do it in a literal or metaphorical way but it should definitely be in sync with the song that is being played (the ones that don’t do this has been a particular pet peeve of mine).
I don’t think that music videos are a lost art form but I do believe that there is so much further where the medium could go.
To my mind, there is no reason (except for major record label / Hollywood studio incompetence) why these videos can’t be played in a movie theater. There is no reason why directors like Melina Matsoukas and Kahlil Joseph aren’t household names. At present, Calmatic and Hiro Murai seem to be the only ones that have, in recent memory, successfully navigated the music video-to-film pipeline capitalized by filmmakers such as David Fincher and Michel Gondry. There should be a lot more directors working in both worlds, especially those who were born and raised within the culture of hip-hop.
Some final thoughts on…Music Videos
LaChelle:
I feel incredibly grateful to have grown up during what I believe was the golden era of music videos. Watching shows like BET's Access Granted and MTV's Making The Video deepened my appreciation for them. As an artist and director, I find music videos incredibly inspiring when considering my approach to merging two mediums together (music and film). I hope we get back to valuing, looking forward to, and having more cultural conversations around music videos. Even more so, I hope the music industry can move towards a space of providing artists the resources to create music videos that shift the culture instead of expecting them to chase the trends of content creation that don't feed their artistry or serve a purpose beyond maintaining relevancy.
Ricky:
I know binge-watching TV shows and movies on Netflix and Hulu has become a common form of pastime in Western society but it’s extremely rare for me to sit down and watch a good show all day. I can regularly watch maybe 2-3 hours of a show or movie but, after that, I need a break to do something else.
Music videos, on the other hand, I can honestly watch all day, whether the song and the artist is familiar or I’m discovering hidden gems. They visually and sonically influence my creative process. I often write with music in the background but, sometimes, watching the video helps me figure out what I’m trying to envision. The background setting, and coloring grading, and body language, can amplify the lyrics and message of a song in a myriad of forms. Think about how crazy some of these videos would look in movie theaters. I’m glad this medium is still here.
John:
I didn’t have any movie theaters near where I lived growing up so TV was both my primary source of entertainment and escape. Coupled with my Saturday morning cartoons, music videos transported me to new worlds. They instilled a foundational love of storytelling that is still with me to this day. Music videos were the vehicles that created superstars who defined my childhood and adolescence. When I think of Mariah Carey, I see her swinging over the lake on “Always Be My Baby”. When I think of Aaliyah, I see her serenading the Caribbean Sea in “Rock The Boat”. A great music video can change a life, whether it’s the person creating it or the person watching it. Hopefully, that’s something the next generation of artists and filmmakers will remember for many years to come.
 | A guest post by
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This was so fun! I love the mix of contemporary and “vintage” visuals represented. One of my favorite 🍃activities is to watch late 90s/early 00s music videos and lament what going to the club is supposed to be. I’m talking 112, Nelly, Toni Braxton, even Bey.
I absolutely loved reading this! 🖤🖤🖤 Reminded me of how obsessed I was with music videos back in the day, this is a selection of thee classics for real. Remember the Time and anything by Missy, the mid-late 90s/early 00s really were the golden era and I appreciate the links to new stuff that I wasn't aware of 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾