In this essay I will be researching three different music video
genres. Theses genres will be Hip-hop/Rap, R&B/Soul and KHip-hop. Hip Hop
follow a similar theme in their music videos often has artistic edits involved
as its being shot to capture the realism in a story-like way through their
music. As, for R&B/Soul the pace of the song can be much slower as compared to
Hip Hop the rhythmic cutting used follows the beat of the track making the
transitions of the music video seem quick. Korean Hip Hop is much different to
Hip Hop we hear from the Western music made. The music videos can be similar to
American Hip Hop music videos demonstrating party life or wealth. However, a lot
more culture differences portraying their way of life and their lyrics have
some word-play which relates more to their audience for hip hop than an
international audience.
For the first music video I have chosen
a song called “Fly Again” by a Japanese rapper called KOHH. The meaning of the
music video is to share his journey to foreign countries new to him showing how
his music caught attention from an audience not just from Japan. This gave him
as opportunities to share his music on an international scale. The English
translation of his lyrics reflect the trips of his tours in America he mentions
“Go to never seen places before.” whilst in the music video he makes a movement
of an aeroplane as he lifts his arms showing this soaring motion highlighting
the title of the song fly again
The transitions from location to
location of New York and Japan reflect himself being a new artist getting to
experience different countries whilst doing something that he loves. The
transitions used looks like a page being turned similar to how a book is. It’s
a way for the artist to show the audience his journey or new chapter in life
producing and making music. The bird’s eye view used during the start of the
video could be interpreted as the sky's the limit and you can achieve what you
set your mind to. This can also be shown him wearing designer clothes whilst in
New York with all the music he makes he’s able to have that luxury of
travelling and wearing those clothes. Linking to the message that there are
opportunities out there for everyone.
For the next music video, I have chosen
a Hip-hop genre by an artist called Mino. He only came to produce music three
years ago and works at an agency as an active member in a group called Winner.
At the start of the music video we see a room filled with cages with dogs
inside them as the camera slowly pans in. The music starts along with rhythmic
cuttings along with the track. Opening to the artist’s face shown from a close
up view portraying a start of a show his attire of a suit and gelled back hair
give this chic and class look. The cuts are arranged rhythmically according to
the soundtrack. This gives a sense of upbeat effect portraying a dance feel
theme to the song you would similarly hear at a club.
Another way a club scene is portrayed
through this music video is the use of lights used the white dancing lights and
neon coloured animation help build this club scene to show appeal for people
familiar with the experience you see at a club. Especially, as the chorus
starts all cuts during that part are sped up to match the pace of the
soundtrack. The title “I’m Him” opens from a close up to a wide shot. This
presents to the audience Mino is him in that sense to confirm his identity. The
sped up cuts present a sense follow that rhythmic cutting following the
soundtrack this shows a sense of dance mood with the flashing lights cutting to
Mino and lights.
His lyrics in the English translation
has a lot of wordplay in the way he wants to express himself through the
lyrics. There’s a link to KOHH’s music video as these music video is trying to
convey a journey for new artist, but in Mino’s case it’s a way for him to
appear as himself and confirming himself as a new artist. The mise-en-scene of dog
cages in the video reflect his lyrics to show he is in control and how his hard
work leads him here to where he is today. The line “I took off and threw away
the leash.” metaphorically saying he is done from taking orders, the lexis of a
dog or animal’s characteristics used in the lyrics convey he is capable, and
uses the process of producing music as a driving force to get where he wants to
be as an artist stay true to himself. It’s a way to show himself confidently.
The clothes he wears in this music represents
the genre of the song from the all-white outfit and the dark suit express this
luxury similar to KOHH’s clothes in fly again. From the transitions of Mino in
the suit and him wearing sweats suggests the trends of clothes he is able to
get now that he makes music again creating this luxury image when making money.
For the final music video, I have
chosen an R&B/Soul music video by an artist called Jay Park “Me like yuh”.
R&B music videos uses choreography in the video e.g. most Usher music
videos involve him dancing, which these music video of this genre similarly
follow.
This music video is different from the
others as the cuts aren’t used to create a narrative. The music video “Me like
Yuh” focuses on the dance to create the narrative of the song. Which we
can see from the panning of the camera allowing this flow motion capturing the
attention of the audience. By using other ways of creating a narrative through
editing this makes the music video interesting to the viewer for e.g. In Mino-
I’m Him the animation is used to create a narrative as he raps. The animation
helps reinforce of what he’s trying to say to get his message across.
The mise-en-scene used in the music
video is to create a story through dance the setting used is similar to Drake’s
song Hotline Bling of the white studio. The dancing lights used to transition
the cuts of the dance performance create the sub-genre R&B/Soul through the
loose dance moves rhythmically similar to the two other music videos creating a
link that all three genres have a similar editing trend used in each music
video.
The clothes that are worn on the
dancers show a contrasts of gender e.g. girls wearing tight clothes and the
guys wearing loose clothes. The costumes used are expected to be seen in any
genre similar to R&B. This is to shows the representation of gender that is
portrayed in R&B music video to show this appeal to all genders to look
attractive in front of the audience.
The lighting used in this music video
create an attractive look to a young adult audience of people dancing to music
they enjoy which we see towards the end of the video of the dancers smiling
together. This shows sense of family or friendship having fun and doing
something with those you have in common with.
In conclusion, we see a link between
all three music videos from the use of rhythmic cuttings shown per frame in
each music video. The editing of each music video are edited to look attractive
with the use of camera shots to transitions of each individual cuts creating a
concept following the genre of Hip-hop, Rap and R&B/Soul.
Music Videos
