Video conventions

Within the mainstream side of hip hop, lyrics are not usually expressed in the same way as underground hip hop. Therefore, in the mainstream rappers usually create music with upbeat rhythms distracting the audience from the lyrics. Due to this mainstream hip hop never really have a good or even yet any storyline. The videos are usually several including people dancing and having fun, also attractive women dressed in revealing clothing. In addition to these conventions hip hop videos also include men wearing expensive brands and jewellery. Mainstream videos are usually located in a party scene if not it is located at some sort of gathering where plenty of people will be dancing and enjoying the music and the use of recreational drugs will often be used. An example of a mainstream rapper is 50 cent. Even though 50 cent started of as a more underground/old school rapper his rapping slowly changed into a mainstream flow. Rappers tend to do this as the mainstream institution involves more money, fame and recognition.

However, in old school and prominently called the real side of hip hop, The videos and lyrics obtained within the genre are usually true stories, meaning the videos will frequently have a strong story line. Old school or underground hip hop videos may include violence or the misogyny towards women but this is to either show the reality which is portrayed in the rappers lifestyle or this is used to send a message towards the audience. An example of rappers whom do this is the hip hop group “The Roots” and “NWA”.
The controversial hip hop group “NWA” rapped about the mistreatment by police in a period of time racism was a big influence to rap artist. However NWA was the first rap group to do make it so big from alternatively “dissing” the police. The group includes some of the biggest rappers today. NWA includes one of the biggest rappers and producers in the world such as Dr.dre, Ice Cube, the deceased Eazy E, DJ Yella and Mc Ren.

Ja Rule - Wonderful ft. R. Kelly, Ashanti

Ja Rule - Wonderful ft. R. Kelly, Ashanti

Now introducing the rhythm and blues side of hip hop. Although RnB is slightly different than rap, the convention in the videos are pretty much the same. This video also include:

• The usage of drugs/cigars/alcohol

This picture shows the use of smoking within the video. From what you can see in this mid close up the image is showing the rappers/singer holding an expensive cigar in his hand.

• Living in a rich environment i.e. Big house, expensive cars
• Expensive jewels
• Expensive clothing
• Females wearing revealing clothing
• Voyeuristic pleasures

Waka Flocka Flame - "For My Dawgs"

Waka Flocka Flame - For My Dawgs

This video and song shows the stertypical side towards hip hop. Usually these type of videos give hip hop artist a bad name in the media. This is because videos like this include things such as:

• Gang culture

• Hatred and violence

• Baggy and branded clothing

• Tatted bodies

• Expensive cars

• Expensive jewellery

The use of these factors allow the audience to think that rappers are only into materialistic objects and voyeuristic pleasures towards women.

This mid close up image shows the rappers use of alcohol. Also the font included within the centre of the image is in a bloody red colour which expresses on the violence portrayed within the video. This image represents a conventional view of rappers as the artist is wearing a black basebal cap, black t-shirt
and also he is assumingly holding a cup of alcohol. By including such items within the picture allows the audience to believe that hip hop aartists are criminalised people. In addition to the use of the use of mid close comes in to play again by capturing the image of a man consuming a type of drug, in this case marijuana.

2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up

2pac - Keep your head up

This song represents the poetic side of hip hop. It does'nt just send a posotive message its also includes information on cruelty and aggression towards females.Throughtout the video close up and mid close ups are used to show the emotions running through the rapper's mind. All the way through the vieo extreme close ups are also used, for example during one moment in the video the camera gets extremely close up to the face of the rapper, mainly at the eye area which expands on the emotions of the artist. Further into the video, images of several females appear. This is to help the audience remember the actual meaning of the song and video.

The mid close-up of the chosen female from the video shows the mysogyny directed towards women. By using this mid close up it helps the audience to interact with character represented, as the camera shot and angle expresses the womans feelings and from this image you can also tell that this person is depressed. This links in to the fact that women are usually used as sexual objects. However, in this video which is being analysed, the woman represented can create sympathy towards the audience instead of hatred as it shows the hurtful lifestyle she portrays.

Re-evaluation of AS coursework

In our AS media project we had 2 tasks. One of which was the preliminary task where we had to make a small case scenario which had to include two characters engaging in a small exchange of speech. Our second and predominantly our more important task I and my group had to create an opening scene which had to be approximately 2-3 minutes long. During the period of time we was creating the production, me and my group came across many obstacles and had to face several difficulties. The majority was due to the lack of equipment. This made it difficult because most of research and planning intended for the project to be filmed at a later time, because of this we had to change the locations and timings numerous times. However, the group is partially to blame as the organisation wasn’t at its best. For the planning and research part of the course we failed to keep up and it resulted in us having to rush at the last minute which gave us an unsatisfying outcome.

One thing we should have perfected more on was the time management. This is because we had a tight schedule which meant we had to organise the timing faultlessly. That is a definite part of the course we will avoid to face in A2. Also from the start of the course of AS the group was not comfortably decisive with the genre of the film, there wasn’t a happy agreement within the group. In addition to this we didn’t decide to set specific jobs for each member of the group. This resulted in one person doing a larger amount of work than the other which was also a fall back in the group, so for our A2 course we’ve decided on doing this and doing it correctly and fairly. Furthermore, half way through the production of the course, one of the members in the group bailed out which encountered in us doing much more work. This also confused the group as the person who bailed was a dominant figure of the production; this meant we had to start from the beginning. However, this year the group will be more organised and we will approach the course in a more positive way. Due to the ups and down I think that I and the group achieved a high level 2 if not a low level 3 grade somewhere in between 10- 13 marks. This is all due to the lack of preparation I and the group undertook. This was a big downside in our AS result.

However, an advantage this year is that we a creating a music video. This is a good thing as we are creating our own music instead of copying or imitating another artist. In this project we will be creating our own lyrics, instrumentals/beats and adding a little twist in the genre.

A2 brief and music promo video

in my A2 media courswork i will be making a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with a cover for its release as part of the digipak and a magazine advertisement for the digipak


Target audience: The genre of our video will be hip hop. It will be targeted towards all races and genders aged 16 or above.

Location: The promo video will be located in an urban area, for example a underground, dark or graffiti based place. This is because i am going for a less mainstream and a more old school style of Hip Hop. The underground scene expresses that more.

Style of Hip Hop which may be used: Poetry, Freestyle, Story telling or Hardcore Hip Hop.

Advatnges: Hip Hop allows rappers to express their emotions on certain topics such as war, poverty and drug related issues. It also allows rappers to educate people on things they may not know, for example from seeing the harsh reality of the lives some rappers live due to drugs or violence, this may put children off walking down the wrong path.

Disadvantages: Unfortunately, Hip Hop is misunderstood. In the mainstream Hip Hop associates with drugs, misogyny, and crime. This effects families as it sends disturbing and innapropriate messages towards children. Most of the time Hip Hop is looked at negatively. People tend to look at it as a cult instead of a music genre.

Camera shots within Hip Hop videos

A lot of close ups are used to show the aggression in the persons emotions

- also long shots are used to show the character clothing. In the hip hop language they call it(Swagger).

When establishing shots are used it is to show the area. In this case it will usually be a rough looking neighbourhood.

Smif-N-Wessun - Bucktown

Smiff N Wessun - Bucktown

This video from smiff n wessun represents the struggle and violence that happens in such deprived areas. People usually misjudge rappers such as "Smiff N Wessun" for being ignorant, self-centered people whom's lives revolve around drugs and violence, however they dont realise the cold up bringing certain people have. One of the lyrics within the song is "another murdered, just another prankster, rudeboy dead because he thought he was a gangster". That lyric sums up the harsh reality in some areas around the world. As well as this, certain camera shots which are used help to express some of the emotions.Throughout the video, the video contains the use of tracking shots to show the conditions in which they live in. At apporximetly 30 seconds within the music video a tracking shot has been introduced as it shows the audience an image of the housing states represented in the rappers area. As the song progresses the video includes close-ups of a bloody hand. This image can be seen 1 minute and 38 second within the video. This image repsresent the violent side of living in such promonently weaponry popluated areas.