After much personal debate on if I should review this video or not, I decided to go for it. I did the preview and so I decided to keep my tradition of following up with the full project. So press play and let's get into the piece.
This video was directed by Anthony Mandler. It takes place in Fort Totten Park in New York City. According to the director, the theme of this video is a militia / rebellious type of vibe, like what one might see in a foreign country. Reports say that he and Jay Z took their inspiration from photos and historical research of places like Brazil and Africa, to capture the feel. Their goal was to get people to connect with the chaotic nature of other countries; versus the more orderly lifestyle we have here in America. In order to execute this theme, the video is shot in a: rural, underground, and dark setting. There is faint light from time to time or light via various forms of fire. Jay, Rihanna, and Kanye West sport dark clothes, shades, and sometimes facial coverings. The wardrobe has a very Gothic tone to it. And there is an army of people in similar wardrobe with weapons, torches, etc. The army of people seem tense and ready to go to battle, under the leadership of the infamous trio. And of course there are various solo shots of each artist. That more or less is the video. It has been compared to Tupac's "California Love."
Ok, this video is alright but does NOT live up to the hype. It's missing a story line, all you see is the theme. Which is an interesting one but it needs some development. For example, who are Jay, Ye, and Ri Ri in the town? What is the mob gearing up for? Answering either question within the video would have given it the push it needs to be hot. As is, it's just a big a** mob scene led by the trio. Who cares about that? That doesn't mean anything to me. I don't like any of them enough to just want to sit and stare at them for five minutes. What made "California Love" so great, was the story line. It had a theme AND a purpose. Pac and Dr. Dre were not just chilling amongst the people, cause they got it like that. Overall, I'd say this has the potential to be brilliant but falls short. I'll give them props for being creative though. If nothing else, it was very different. -MinM
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