#108 Bilaal's Genre Music Video Research

I will be analyzing the following video by DJ, DJ Khaled and his music video "I'm On One" which features Canadian once Actor turned Rapper Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. 

 The video doesn't have a set narrative, plot or any sort of story to follow. The four artists that appear on the song are at once, in their own setting, performing their artists, but the video cuts back to where all 4 featured artists and main artist are together. I think analysing this video is ideal, because Example's videos also do not have a particular driven narrative. If there is, it's a very weak, light one. The genre is rap, which also Example is familiar with.

The term "I'm On One" originates from the rap music genre, which means when an artist or even a particular person is working very hard or has dilligence in his/her work which they would then "I'm On One". It also can represent the lavish life, the success one encounters from working hard, in rap terms: "staying on their grind"

The video starts off with establishing the DJ Khaled's entourage, which includes on-screen of the producers which is the YMCMB label, presenting the We The Best Group. The video cuts back and fourth to the first artist's verse, which is Drakes, you see Drake in his apartment, a very one sided colored looking room, which is white and it almost looks as if he may have just moved in, or even to say he doesn't really have time in his own house. I get this assumption from the fact that the plastic on the sofas and tables are still intact. He's also accompanied with his own entourage, casually sat whilst Drake performs his verse. You can see that he points his finger at the camera, he's looking directly at the camera, which breaks the verisimilitude and allows the viewer to know he/she is watching a video. It also has voyeurism where we're allowed access to Drake's Penthouse apartment and we're greeted from his people. For example, one of the lyrics is "What's up with your best friend? We could all have some fun, believe me", Drake is shown rotating his fingers, which suggests he means the viewer too.

We have ariel view shots of the city, an establishing shot of the next artist (Rick Ross) to perform his verse, which is done through a shot of his back, which isn't the best establishing shot, for someone who isn't familiar with Rick Ross, but it plays off well, because within the next 10 sec, we get to see a more clear image of him and then eventually, his face. (show in screenshots)

 

 

We also see dissolve shots between all the artists including DJ Khaled, who is the main artist of the song. This enforces the point that maybe he is the main artist and who the song is credited to.

I think the use of not fully revealing Rick Ross (as pictured above) is good to include in a music video, it adds to the eagerness to find out who this person is, the person with the hot female, the flashy car, and jewelery. All this evidently goes back to the term "On One" I think for our music video, we could possibily include the non-revealing shot of the artist for a period amount of time. 

Overall, the video is a typcial one of the hip-hop/rap genre. You have the rapper's entourage, the flashy clothing, cars, the women, the personas and egos are definitely intact. It also has a simple approach towards the editing as it cuts back from one artist to another, accompanying the song part.

 

All of the above points mentioned are typical codes and conventions of a rap music video and I particulary like the Rick Ross shots where we don't fully see him but once his verse has started, we then get a full facial view of him which I think we could definitely incorporate into our own video.