It's that time of the year again! As I did in 2008 and 2009, the moment has arrived to discuss this year's nominees for Video of the Year at the Video Music Awards. But, before we begin, I have to make an announcement. For a couple years now, I've been trying to make this a regular series, investigating all of the nominees for Video of the Year in each year. I got a couple done before hitting a rough spot and never actually completing the series. I vowed last year to get the series started but, again, nothing. I've now come to the realization that it will never be finished and it's time to move on to a new project: Best Female Video. The reason I could never finish another entry is because the nominated videos often sucked all inspiration out of me. How could I spend 300 words writing about a video that was neither horrible or amazing? And what about in years where all five nominees are like that? Zzzzzzzz. But when I started looking around at the Best Female Video category, I realized that there was no way I could ever get bored by the nominees. I mean, look at them! Who wants to discuss videos from Queensryche, USA for Africa, U2 or Steve Winwood when I can be discussing Madonna, Janet, Cher, Beyoncé, Paula, Kate and Annie? I will continue this annual tradition in the coming years, but I won't be looking back at any past Video of the Year lineups. Sorry to the two people who may actually remember me doing this, but I guarantee the Best Female Video series will be even better.
Overall: 2009 was all about the star factor with five of the biggest names in music competing for the big prize. This year, we see two repeats but, overall, the nominees are a return to the early days of the category when the biggest stars weren't necessarily getting the big nomination. Lady GaGa, with two of the most talked about music videos in ages, and Eminem, the VMA's prodigal son, both got in rather expectedly, but the surprise nominees came at the hands of a British act just getting started in America and (former?) actor Jared Leto's rock band. Sometimes digging up unexpected videos can be good for the category but this year quite the opposite happened. When 'Telephone,' a video I've complained about all year for being a short film in music video clothing, is still the second best in the category, you know there's a problem. Florence and Mars are trying hard to be different and metaphorical, respectively--about what, I have no fucking clue--yet nothing comes through. Eminem once again gets in with another lazy, retread of his past videos and the less said about the B.o.B. video the better. Thank goodness for GaGa then, who manages to save this lineup from obscurity with 'Romance,' the video they'll remember her for in the coming years. With so many uninspiring nominees, you have to wonder how Rhianna's 'Rude Boy,' easily the most talked about non-GaGa music video, not only missed out here but in nearly every damn category minus a technical one. And, although I think the video's not very good, the Black Eyed Peas' massive 'Imma Be Rocking that Body' was completely shafted in every category, a surprise given how many of the nominated videos this year (Bad Romance, Telephone, Kings and Queens, Video Phone) have massive runtimes. And, if we lived in a perfect world, the year's double nominee would be Danish pop group Alphabeat and not GaGa. 'DJ (I Could Be Dancing)' and 'Hole in My Heart' both took obvious 90's inspirations and twisted them for this decade.
The best:
Lady GaGa 'Bad Romance' # # # # #
Just before GaGa became the queen of the entire world and everything she did was deemed other worldly, she came out with her clip for 'Bad Romance' and proved that she was more than just a passing phase. 'Poker Face' showed promise, even if it wasn't a very good video, and 'Paparazzi' reintroduced the epic music video, but 'Bad Romance' capitalized on her newly minted success and trumped every expectation people had of her. Five minutes may seem like a long time for a music video, but when you have as much going on as GaGa does here, it goes by far too quickly. But that's what is special about 'Bad Romance': she manages to tell a complete story visually without once stopping the music for a dialogue interlude. The opening birth scene where GaGa and her dancers emerge from the metaphorical womb, clawing and scratching their way out in spandex catsuits is astounding to look at. It's the perfect way to visualize the GaGa character's emergence into this world of prostitution and to let the audience know what to expect from the rest of the video. And never does 'Bad Romance' ever feel like anything but a Lady GaGa video; there's no homage to Madonna or Tarantino and you can hardly imagine Britney, Rihanna or Beyoncé doing this video with the same amount of impact. 'Bad Romance' is a textbook example of using the music video to move a pop persona forward and the fact that she does this with a fair amount of depth and beauty is all the more satisfying.
The rest, in order:
Lady GaGa featuring Beyoncé 'Telephone' # # # # #
And now we come to certainly the biggest video of the year, in terms of impact, hype, feeling and overall length. The premiere was an event in itself, the first time I remember that happening since the good ole days of TRL when the Backstreet Boys would stop by to premiere their latest shitty video. I liked the video at first, and still am generally a fan of it, but the flaws are even more glaringly obvious than they were six months ago. My biggest complaint about 'Telephone' is that it never quite feels like a music video. Sure, it's a video with music in it, but the song eventually comes second to all of the insanity going on around it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: 'Telephone' works as a short film, but as a music video, it's an epic fail. Music videos should promote the song, but can you honestly say you remember the song amid the numerous wardrobe choices, the prison yard make out session, B's Honey Bun and the "Let's Make a Sandwich" bit? What I do love about the video, though, is the way GaGa and B synthesize their own larger than life, batshit crazy personas with their homage to all things Tarantino. The video is complete and utter insanity, but when it works, it really works at highlighting what we love best about GaGa and B. 'Telephone' is hardly perfect yet something about it's madness is worth celebrating.
Florence + the Machine 'Dog Days Are Over' # # # # #
I will say this for Florence + the Machine: she certainly knows how to make a vivid impression. When you see her onscreen, red hair a-blazin' with that kabuki-inspired makeup over her eyes, you immediately marvel over this fascinating creature and really want to get to know her better. The 'Dog Days Are Over' video is certainly the very definition of "weird," but it often feels weird for weird sake rather than weird for a purpose. The only way I can describe what I mean is to use another example, last year's nominee 'Love Lockdown' by Kanye West. The bulk of the video comprises of these natives flinging arrows and tribal dancing to the song. What saves it from 'Dog Days Are Over' territory, however, is the fact that the opening and closing moments show Kanye West obviously in some kind of emotional distress, so it can be inferred that these natives are representative of him going insane. I'm not suggesting that 'Dog Days Are Over' needs a gimmick like 'Love Lockdown,' but, rather, any idea of when to pull back the "weirdness" and figure out what they are trying to say. The video doesn't need to make a groundbreaking point, it just needs to say something besides "Oh look at these blue people dancing!"
30 Seconds to Mars 'Kings and Queens' # # # # #
Maybe I'm completely missing the point, but what exactly is supposed to be happening in this video? I see minute after minute of footage of a group of young adults riding bikes through a deserted town, someone getting hit by a car, a horse stampeding down the street, the kid getting back up unharmed and everyone resuming biking. What? I give 30 Seconds to Mars for attempting to say something, anything with this video and for giving it the full-length treatment without sacrificing the song. Yet, I'm not exactly sure what they're trying to say is worth saying. Then again, I could only be sure of that if I was aware of their intentions.
Eminem 'Not Afraid' # # # # #
It seems almost futile to bitch about yet another Eminem video making its way onto the Video of the Year shortlist, yet I feel like something needs to be said in order for this madness to end. 'Not Afraid' is not anywhere near as embarrassing as his nomination for 'We Made You' last year, that's for sure. Still, there's not exactly anything worth celebrating in this video, certainly nothing worthy of Video of the Year status. I think people are starting to mistake Eminem as an artist who reveals pieces of himself in his music videos. He does do this in his music, don't get me wrong, but outside of 'Stan,' do any of his videos which are supposedly about him truly capture anything worth knowing about him? 'Not Afraid' certainly doesn't, as standing in a dank basement and throwing a chair angrily against a wall is the sort of the thing you'd expect from an Eminem video. The scenes with the mirrors and Eminem buzzing through the air like Superman might be an attempt at revelation, and I suppose that's what got people thinking 'Not Afraid' was about something, but it's handled so clumsily and nothing about it is truly original, interesting or even worth thinking about. Eminem, you're officially past your sell by date; wake me up when you're relevant again.
B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams 'Airplanes' # # # # #
OH GOD, MAKE THIS END, MAKE THIS END! Not only is the song one of the most horrible, cliché-ridden pieces of shit I've ever heard, the video is, also, lazy, uninspired and almost ugly to look at. First of all, can someone tell Hayley Williams that despite what other countless music videos have taught her, closing your eyes and rocking your head gently while singing "deep" lyrics the ones in that godawful chorus does not make you look emotive in any way? Secondly, putting an artist in dark room while strobe and neon lights dance around them in odd rhythms does not an interesting video make. I know this nomination is more for the inexplicable popularity of this song rather than the video itself, but did we honestly need to expand to six nominees to make room for it? This is not a video we're going to be remembering for many years to come. Hell, I'll be surprised if anyone remembers this by the end of the year.
Showing posts with label eminem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eminem. Show all posts
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
VMA Video of the Year Rundown: 2009
The 2009 MTV Video Music Award nominees were announced a week ago and, at J.D.'s insistence, I decided to bring back my old series to talk about this year's nominees. If you enjoyed this series previously, I apologize for the 10 month absence, but I got completely stuck on one of the profiles and eventually gave up on the whole damn thing. Hopefully, doing this post will motivate me to get back in the swing of things.
Overall: After the complete and utter embarrassment that was last year's nominees, MTV went back to picking them themselves and, needless to say, they did a much better job. By nominating four of the biggest stars in music today and one mega-successful up-and-comer, MTV brought the prestige back to the category. But, with that prestige comes three fantastic videos that are easy to get excited about. When some of the biggest stars in music are making the lamest and shittiest videos around, that's definitely something to cheer. Even if Lady GaGa's video isn't as successful in its mission as it thinks it is, you have to give it credit for trying, no matter how shameless it is (hey, it works for Kathy Griffin). As for omissions, I still need some catching up to do, but how about Lily Allen's scrumptious 'The Fear'? Oh, that's right, no one gives a shit about her in America (shame on you). Gnarls Barkley's 'Who's Gonna Save Your Soul?' is a fascinating experiment, although I probably need more time to digest it fully. Taylor Swift's 'You Belong With Me,' with its high school stereotypes, is not totally original, but you have to give Swift credit for having a total blast with it and that's all you need for a successful video sometimes. Of all the omissions, I'm still a little surprised that after racking up countless artistic noms, and being better videos than their nominated counterparts, Britney's 'Circus' and GaGa's 'Paparazzi' were passed over in favor of 'Womanizer' and 'Poker Face.' Maybe it's because they were bigger hits as songs?
The best:
Beyoncé 'Single Ladies [Put a Ring On It]' # # # # #
To put it simply, the video for Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' is a phenomenon. Don't believe me? Check out the millions upon millions of (mostly bad) imitations and homages on YouTube ranging from Timberlake, Rudd and Samberg on SNL to Joe Jonas's from a couple of months ago and then tell me it doesn't qualify. And how often in this day and age when the music video is given less and less prominence in the public eye (and even on their one-time home MTV) does one ever get this huge? Very rarely. But this is just one reason we should be celebrating this video. The simplicity of the clip is staggering, making sure we focus only on the intricate yet breezy choreography, but I'm sure it was much harder to create than it appears. The main reason 'Single Ladies' will go down as a classic, however, is because it's the video that cemented Beyoncé as the diva of our times. Another lesser artist would have been afraid of the fact that there is nothing going on in this clip besides some dancing and the background periodically and spastically changing from black to white (there aren't even any pretty colors to distract the ADD generation), but not the insane diva that is Beyoncé. Oh no, she knew that armed with a leotard, a cyborg hand and a simple rotation of a forearm, she could captivate an audience. Beyoncé may be out of her damn mind half the time, but that's what makes her so interesting, why we are so fascinated by her celebrity and why 'Single Ladies' works as well as it does.
The rest, in order:
Kanye West 'Love Lockdown' # # # # #
At first I wanted to hate 'Love Lockdown' for its lack of immediate rewards, the seemingly random tribal dance that dominates the video and the fact that most of the little time Kanye actually spends on screen is spent re-doing that hunched over, "I'm crazy and/or in pain" pose that was captured so well in the 'Stronger' video. But then I sat down, thought about it for awhile and started to like it more and more. The clip is so eliptical that five different viewers could come up with five different explanations and all of them could make complete sense. Based on the way the shots of Kanye book end the tribal warriors in the middle, my guess is that the video shows the mental breakdown of the Kanye character, but I'm open to other interpretations. The song may not be classic Kanye, but the video is first rate.
Britney Spears 'Womanizer' # # # # #
'Circus' may be the better video, but 'Womanizer' is the one that put Britney back on the map after the disappointing Blackout videos. It's also the video that captures what makes Britney the pop superstar she is and why we're so fascinated by her ten years on. 'Womanizer' has everything we expect from a top-notch Britney video: hot dancing, a sexified Britney in sexy clothes, a good-looking male lead, a barely-there plot that may seem pointless but actually makes for a more coherent video. Most importantly, however, the video makes 'Womanizer that much better of a song. I mean, honestly, who was crazy about the song before the video came out? With a hook so repetitive it made 'Gimme More' look downright wordy, I certainly wasn't its biggest fan. But after the video's premiere, with Britney titilating the masses like no one else can in a sexy and modern style, the song became a can't miss for me. And, I would argue, isn't that the point of the music video?
Lady GaGa 'Poker Face' # # # # #
By dressing in outrageously eye-catching outfits, hoping to produce something as iconic as Britney's red leather jumpsuit or Christina's white 'Come On Over Baby' ensemble, hiring hunky, shirtless male models to lounge around her at all times while performing some well-done choreography, it feels like Lady GaGa is blantantly propositioning the gay audience to love her in all her over-the-top glory. But, unlike Britney and her vaguely similar 'Womanizer' video, The GaGa is trying a bit too hard and 'Poker Face' becomes another instance of style winning out over substance. Each individual set piece does what they need to do, but it all adds up to nothing more than visual gay porn. 'Paparazzi,' which integrates the GaGa's unique sense of style with a high concept clip, is the video that proves she may be more than just a flash in the pan.
Eminem 'We Made You' # # # # #
I can't decide which of these is more embarrassing: the fact that Eminem has received his sixth (6!) Video of the Year nomination, which is two more than Madonna has and three more than Michael Jackson, for a video that is, more or less, a trite rehashing of the same video he has made three times before or the fact that MTV lazily decided to nominate their prodigal son yet again over so many other worthy videos out there. It's not the subject of 'We Made You' (vacuous celebrites only famous because we want to hear about them) that upsets me, rather, it's the celebrities Eminem decides to skewer. They are either so obvious (Kim Kardashian) or so three years ago (hasn't Jessica Simpson been through enough?) that I'm surprised he didn't rap about how stupid Paris Hilton is or Britney's breakdown. And the video is often just as headscratchingly ignorant and misguided. Not only are the vignettes amateurish beyond belief with their junior high-level humor, but they often don't make any sense at all. What the hell does Star Trek and Rain Man have to do with the public's fascination with celebrities? This kind of video may have been okay back in 2002 when Eminem was the biggest rapper in the world, but in 2009, it just looks like a desperate excursion from a 30-something white rapper hoping at all costs to remain relevant in a musical landscape that seems to have moved on.
[Previous installments: 1984 1999 2003]
Overall: After the complete and utter embarrassment that was last year's nominees, MTV went back to picking them themselves and, needless to say, they did a much better job. By nominating four of the biggest stars in music today and one mega-successful up-and-comer, MTV brought the prestige back to the category. But, with that prestige comes three fantastic videos that are easy to get excited about. When some of the biggest stars in music are making the lamest and shittiest videos around, that's definitely something to cheer. Even if Lady GaGa's video isn't as successful in its mission as it thinks it is, you have to give it credit for trying, no matter how shameless it is (hey, it works for Kathy Griffin). As for omissions, I still need some catching up to do, but how about Lily Allen's scrumptious 'The Fear'? Oh, that's right, no one gives a shit about her in America (shame on you). Gnarls Barkley's 'Who's Gonna Save Your Soul?' is a fascinating experiment, although I probably need more time to digest it fully. Taylor Swift's 'You Belong With Me,' with its high school stereotypes, is not totally original, but you have to give Swift credit for having a total blast with it and that's all you need for a successful video sometimes. Of all the omissions, I'm still a little surprised that after racking up countless artistic noms, and being better videos than their nominated counterparts, Britney's 'Circus' and GaGa's 'Paparazzi' were passed over in favor of 'Womanizer' and 'Poker Face.' Maybe it's because they were bigger hits as songs?
The best:
Beyoncé 'Single Ladies [Put a Ring On It]' # # # # #
To put it simply, the video for Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' is a phenomenon. Don't believe me? Check out the millions upon millions of (mostly bad) imitations and homages on YouTube ranging from Timberlake, Rudd and Samberg on SNL to Joe Jonas's from a couple of months ago and then tell me it doesn't qualify. And how often in this day and age when the music video is given less and less prominence in the public eye (and even on their one-time home MTV) does one ever get this huge? Very rarely. But this is just one reason we should be celebrating this video. The simplicity of the clip is staggering, making sure we focus only on the intricate yet breezy choreography, but I'm sure it was much harder to create than it appears. The main reason 'Single Ladies' will go down as a classic, however, is because it's the video that cemented Beyoncé as the diva of our times. Another lesser artist would have been afraid of the fact that there is nothing going on in this clip besides some dancing and the background periodically and spastically changing from black to white (there aren't even any pretty colors to distract the ADD generation), but not the insane diva that is Beyoncé. Oh no, she knew that armed with a leotard, a cyborg hand and a simple rotation of a forearm, she could captivate an audience. Beyoncé may be out of her damn mind half the time, but that's what makes her so interesting, why we are so fascinated by her celebrity and why 'Single Ladies' works as well as it does.
The rest, in order:
Kanye West 'Love Lockdown' # # # # #
At first I wanted to hate 'Love Lockdown' for its lack of immediate rewards, the seemingly random tribal dance that dominates the video and the fact that most of the little time Kanye actually spends on screen is spent re-doing that hunched over, "I'm crazy and/or in pain" pose that was captured so well in the 'Stronger' video. But then I sat down, thought about it for awhile and started to like it more and more. The clip is so eliptical that five different viewers could come up with five different explanations and all of them could make complete sense. Based on the way the shots of Kanye book end the tribal warriors in the middle, my guess is that the video shows the mental breakdown of the Kanye character, but I'm open to other interpretations. The song may not be classic Kanye, but the video is first rate.
Britney Spears 'Womanizer' # # # # #
'Circus' may be the better video, but 'Womanizer' is the one that put Britney back on the map after the disappointing Blackout videos. It's also the video that captures what makes Britney the pop superstar she is and why we're so fascinated by her ten years on. 'Womanizer' has everything we expect from a top-notch Britney video: hot dancing, a sexified Britney in sexy clothes, a good-looking male lead, a barely-there plot that may seem pointless but actually makes for a more coherent video. Most importantly, however, the video makes 'Womanizer that much better of a song. I mean, honestly, who was crazy about the song before the video came out? With a hook so repetitive it made 'Gimme More' look downright wordy, I certainly wasn't its biggest fan. But after the video's premiere, with Britney titilating the masses like no one else can in a sexy and modern style, the song became a can't miss for me. And, I would argue, isn't that the point of the music video?
Lady GaGa 'Poker Face' # # # # #
By dressing in outrageously eye-catching outfits, hoping to produce something as iconic as Britney's red leather jumpsuit or Christina's white 'Come On Over Baby' ensemble, hiring hunky, shirtless male models to lounge around her at all times while performing some well-done choreography, it feels like Lady GaGa is blantantly propositioning the gay audience to love her in all her over-the-top glory. But, unlike Britney and her vaguely similar 'Womanizer' video, The GaGa is trying a bit too hard and 'Poker Face' becomes another instance of style winning out over substance. Each individual set piece does what they need to do, but it all adds up to nothing more than visual gay porn. 'Paparazzi,' which integrates the GaGa's unique sense of style with a high concept clip, is the video that proves she may be more than just a flash in the pan.
Eminem 'We Made You' # # # # #
I can't decide which of these is more embarrassing: the fact that Eminem has received his sixth (6!) Video of the Year nomination, which is two more than Madonna has and three more than Michael Jackson, for a video that is, more or less, a trite rehashing of the same video he has made three times before or the fact that MTV lazily decided to nominate their prodigal son yet again over so many other worthy videos out there. It's not the subject of 'We Made You' (vacuous celebrites only famous because we want to hear about them) that upsets me, rather, it's the celebrities Eminem decides to skewer. They are either so obvious (Kim Kardashian) or so three years ago (hasn't Jessica Simpson been through enough?) that I'm surprised he didn't rap about how stupid Paris Hilton is or Britney's breakdown. And the video is often just as headscratchingly ignorant and misguided. Not only are the vignettes amateurish beyond belief with their junior high-level humor, but they often don't make any sense at all. What the hell does Star Trek and Rain Man have to do with the public's fascination with celebrities? This kind of video may have been okay back in 2002 when Eminem was the biggest rapper in the world, but in 2009, it just looks like a desperate excursion from a 30-something white rapper hoping at all costs to remain relevant in a musical landscape that seems to have moved on.
[Previous installments: 1984 1999 2003]
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
VMA Video of the Year Rundown: 2003
My new series in which I go through the nominees for the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year in each and every year. Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments!
Overall: You have to give props to the nominating committee for some of their ballsy choices: a country legend's beautiful swan song, a former boybander stalking his ex-girlfriend and a female rapper (I know, this shouldn't be so shocking, but they hadn't even nominated Missy before). The work from these three is so genius that I'm tempted to forgive them for lazily nominating Eminem yet again and Fiddy for a throwaway of a rap video, cliched even by the genre's standards. I'm really surprised that the most critically acclaimed video of the year- Christina Aguilera's haunting "Beautiful"- not only didn't land a nomination here, but also lost out on nominations across the board to the fun, but less interesting, "Dirrty." Too much controversy, maybe? And since MTV was in such a funky, free-loving mood with their nominees, I'm equally surprised that they didn't go with Coldplay's Memento-like "The Scientist," with it's impressive special effects and headscratching narrative that goes in reverse.
The Best of the Nominees:
Missy Elliott "Work It" # # # # #
Directed by Missy Elliott and Dave Meyers
To those of us who enjoy hip hop music but hate most of the nameless, overworked crap that's being released everyday (and, somehow, burning up the Top 40 charts), the return of Missy Elliott every year or two is often considered on par with the resurrection of Jesus. Not only is her music hot, but her music videos are often on the cutting edge and always offer something that we haven't seen before. Atoning for missing not only "Get Ur Freak On," but also "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" and "One Minute Man," MTV handed their Best Video prize to "Work It," her most interesting and out-there video we've seen from her yet. The video begins with the image of hundreds of flies covering Missy and the turntable next to her, possibly suggesting the decay of the old Missy and the start of something new from her (coincidentally, she had just lost a bunch of weight before this video). This is contrasted with a shot of a deserted, decaying playground (the hip hop landscape without Missy, perhaps?) and Missy entering in the only way she can- on her back, gliding across the ground. Bold statements, but she more than proves that she can back these up with this video and her confident, breezy rapping on "Work It." On first glance, the video doesn't seem to be anything particularly noteworthy, but in the context of hip hop videos of today (like, for example, the sordid other nominees in this category) it's a complete breath of fresh air. Like Eminem and Outkast, Missy shows that all hip hop videos don't have to be as "cool" as Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" or Juvenile's "Back That Thang Up," with their numerous scantily-clad women, Cristal drinking and so much bling the viewer is nearly blinded- they can be silly, jokey and have a good time without resorting to sex. "Work It" doesn't take itself too seriously and that's why it's so brilliant (and one of the best choices MTV has ever made for their top prize).
(Watch here)
The Rest (in order):
Johnny Cash "Hurt" # # # # #
Directed by Mark Romanek
It was a nearly impossible task to choose between Missy and Johnny Cash, since both videos suited their respective songs in completely different ways. Missy won out, but Cash's "Hurt" is nothing to be poo-pooed on. In these four short minutes, I feel like I understand Cash better than from the two hours I spent Walk the Line. Combining images of Cash today with random stock footage from Cash's past produces a chilling effect that obviously inspired the brilliant finale to La Vie en Rose. We get the sense of this is what he was and this is what he's become: has he made the right choices and should we be applauding this man? The editing of the video is gorgeous, with the images building up next to the loud pounding of the piano and then slowing down when he goes back into the verse. It's done with such taste and a mastery of technique that it never feels like an overload, just an intricate symphony of images. No matter how you look at it, "Hurt" is a touching swan song for the immortal "Man in Black." The nomination for Cash is a complete surprise, a welcome throwback to the early days of the VMA's when MTV went for Herbie Hancock and Godley & Creme over the sillier teenie bopper and hair metal stuff, and proof that MTV still has a couple of surprises in their hat.
(Watch here)
Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River" # # # # #
Directed by Francis Lawrence
The saying "Revenge is a dish best served cold," opens up both Kill Bill movies, but I think it also applies to Justin Timberlake's solo breakthrough song and video. Obviously aimed at Timberlake's ex at the time, Britney Spears, both the song and the video take potshot after potshot at her, deriding her for her infidelity and claiming that she was never "there" for JT while he was as attentive as could be. No one will ever know what really happened there, but the revenge JT gets in the "Cry Me a River" video is proof enough that something happened that really set him off. The ups and downs JT rides throughout the video is mesmerizing. At first, he seems emotionally detached from the whole situation and wholly intent on making her pay. No emotions show on his face when he throws that stone into the glass doors and enters the house. Later, when he's making out with the random chick on his ex's bed, nothing seems more important than this "fuck you" factor he's going for; he's not even paying attention to the girl, he's staring straight into the camera, right through to his ex. When his ex comes back and JT follows her throughout the house, smelling her hair and reaching out to touch her, he wants to reconnect, remembering how good things used to be, and it's incredibly hard for him to resist this natural impulse. Before he give in though, he leaves with the image of him making out with the random chick on a loop- the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. "Cry Me a River" is so textured and gorgeous that the only reason it's not rated a complete 5 out of 5 is for that awkward middle section between the break-in and the make out; what exactly is the point of the weird, special effects dancing that takes place during this 30 seconds? It screams filler to me and makes me wish that Francis Lawrence had done something a little more imaginative to fill in this time.
(Watch here)
Eminem "Lose Yourself" # # # # #
Directed by Phillip Atwell, Paul Rosenburg and Eminem
There's no doubt in my mind concerning the brilliance of "Lose Yourself" the song: along with Missy's "Work It" and Outkast's "Ms. Jackson," it's the most brilliant rap/hip hop song of the decade. But we're talking videos here and the video for "Lose Yourself" is the antithesis of all of Eminem's earlier videos (no matter how dated they look now). This video is sluggish, trite and nearly unwatchable. Basically, "Lose Yourself" is nearly 80% clips from 8 Mile with a couple of awkward shots with Eminem rapping directly into the camera and a strange shot of Eminem returning home to Hailey (I presume that's her anyways) that fits only one line in the song. I will give the video that the clips of Eminem throwing up into the toilet from 8 Mile are appropriately placed in context with the song and, when Eminem raps about Mekhi Pfeiffer, there's a shot of Mekhi Pfeiffer to get the message across. Other than that, there's absolutely nothing innovative about this video that warranted a Best Video nomination (his fourth of five consecutive nominations) other than the fact that the song is amazingly epic (and amazingly important).
(Watch here)
50 Cent "In Da Club" # # # # #
Directed by Phillip Atwell
The video for 50 Cent's breakthrough song "In Da Club" thinks it's saying something positive about Fiddy's ascension to fame, by training him, so to speak, for his eminent superstardom, but it actually comes across as quite the opposite. The training sequences suggest to me that any talentless hack can be sent to Eminem's "boot camp" and, in just a few lessons and cardio sessions, become a top rapper. As if this sequence isn't misguided enough, the rest of video is consists of Fiddy, quite literally, in da club doing all of the horrible rap video cliches that I praised Missy Elliott for avoiding in "Work It." I understand MTV's inclination to nominate this newcomer who seemingly came out of nowhere with this massive hit (and it's actually not that bad of a song, just nowhere near as impressive or groundbreaking as we thought in 2003), but that doesn't mean Fiddy deserved to be anywhere this shortlist.
(Watch here)
Overall: You have to give props to the nominating committee for some of their ballsy choices: a country legend's beautiful swan song, a former boybander stalking his ex-girlfriend and a female rapper (I know, this shouldn't be so shocking, but they hadn't even nominated Missy before). The work from these three is so genius that I'm tempted to forgive them for lazily nominating Eminem yet again and Fiddy for a throwaway of a rap video, cliched even by the genre's standards. I'm really surprised that the most critically acclaimed video of the year- Christina Aguilera's haunting "Beautiful"- not only didn't land a nomination here, but also lost out on nominations across the board to the fun, but less interesting, "Dirrty." Too much controversy, maybe? And since MTV was in such a funky, free-loving mood with their nominees, I'm equally surprised that they didn't go with Coldplay's Memento-like "The Scientist," with it's impressive special effects and headscratching narrative that goes in reverse.
The Best of the Nominees:
Missy Elliott "Work It" # # # # #
Directed by Missy Elliott and Dave Meyers
To those of us who enjoy hip hop music but hate most of the nameless, overworked crap that's being released everyday (and, somehow, burning up the Top 40 charts), the return of Missy Elliott every year or two is often considered on par with the resurrection of Jesus. Not only is her music hot, but her music videos are often on the cutting edge and always offer something that we haven't seen before. Atoning for missing not only "Get Ur Freak On," but also "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" and "One Minute Man," MTV handed their Best Video prize to "Work It," her most interesting and out-there video we've seen from her yet. The video begins with the image of hundreds of flies covering Missy and the turntable next to her, possibly suggesting the decay of the old Missy and the start of something new from her (coincidentally, she had just lost a bunch of weight before this video). This is contrasted with a shot of a deserted, decaying playground (the hip hop landscape without Missy, perhaps?) and Missy entering in the only way she can- on her back, gliding across the ground. Bold statements, but she more than proves that she can back these up with this video and her confident, breezy rapping on "Work It." On first glance, the video doesn't seem to be anything particularly noteworthy, but in the context of hip hop videos of today (like, for example, the sordid other nominees in this category) it's a complete breath of fresh air. Like Eminem and Outkast, Missy shows that all hip hop videos don't have to be as "cool" as Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" or Juvenile's "Back That Thang Up," with their numerous scantily-clad women, Cristal drinking and so much bling the viewer is nearly blinded- they can be silly, jokey and have a good time without resorting to sex. "Work It" doesn't take itself too seriously and that's why it's so brilliant (and one of the best choices MTV has ever made for their top prize).
(Watch here)
The Rest (in order):
Johnny Cash "Hurt" # # # # #
Directed by Mark Romanek
It was a nearly impossible task to choose between Missy and Johnny Cash, since both videos suited their respective songs in completely different ways. Missy won out, but Cash's "Hurt" is nothing to be poo-pooed on. In these four short minutes, I feel like I understand Cash better than from the two hours I spent Walk the Line. Combining images of Cash today with random stock footage from Cash's past produces a chilling effect that obviously inspired the brilliant finale to La Vie en Rose. We get the sense of this is what he was and this is what he's become: has he made the right choices and should we be applauding this man? The editing of the video is gorgeous, with the images building up next to the loud pounding of the piano and then slowing down when he goes back into the verse. It's done with such taste and a mastery of technique that it never feels like an overload, just an intricate symphony of images. No matter how you look at it, "Hurt" is a touching swan song for the immortal "Man in Black." The nomination for Cash is a complete surprise, a welcome throwback to the early days of the VMA's when MTV went for Herbie Hancock and Godley & Creme over the sillier teenie bopper and hair metal stuff, and proof that MTV still has a couple of surprises in their hat.
(Watch here)
Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River" # # # # #
Directed by Francis Lawrence
The saying "Revenge is a dish best served cold," opens up both Kill Bill movies, but I think it also applies to Justin Timberlake's solo breakthrough song and video. Obviously aimed at Timberlake's ex at the time, Britney Spears, both the song and the video take potshot after potshot at her, deriding her for her infidelity and claiming that she was never "there" for JT while he was as attentive as could be. No one will ever know what really happened there, but the revenge JT gets in the "Cry Me a River" video is proof enough that something happened that really set him off. The ups and downs JT rides throughout the video is mesmerizing. At first, he seems emotionally detached from the whole situation and wholly intent on making her pay. No emotions show on his face when he throws that stone into the glass doors and enters the house. Later, when he's making out with the random chick on his ex's bed, nothing seems more important than this "fuck you" factor he's going for; he's not even paying attention to the girl, he's staring straight into the camera, right through to his ex. When his ex comes back and JT follows her throughout the house, smelling her hair and reaching out to touch her, he wants to reconnect, remembering how good things used to be, and it's incredibly hard for him to resist this natural impulse. Before he give in though, he leaves with the image of him making out with the random chick on a loop- the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. "Cry Me a River" is so textured and gorgeous that the only reason it's not rated a complete 5 out of 5 is for that awkward middle section between the break-in and the make out; what exactly is the point of the weird, special effects dancing that takes place during this 30 seconds? It screams filler to me and makes me wish that Francis Lawrence had done something a little more imaginative to fill in this time.
(Watch here)
Eminem "Lose Yourself" # # # # #
Directed by Phillip Atwell, Paul Rosenburg and Eminem
There's no doubt in my mind concerning the brilliance of "Lose Yourself" the song: along with Missy's "Work It" and Outkast's "Ms. Jackson," it's the most brilliant rap/hip hop song of the decade. But we're talking videos here and the video for "Lose Yourself" is the antithesis of all of Eminem's earlier videos (no matter how dated they look now). This video is sluggish, trite and nearly unwatchable. Basically, "Lose Yourself" is nearly 80% clips from 8 Mile with a couple of awkward shots with Eminem rapping directly into the camera and a strange shot of Eminem returning home to Hailey (I presume that's her anyways) that fits only one line in the song. I will give the video that the clips of Eminem throwing up into the toilet from 8 Mile are appropriately placed in context with the song and, when Eminem raps about Mekhi Pfeiffer, there's a shot of Mekhi Pfeiffer to get the message across. Other than that, there's absolutely nothing innovative about this video that warranted a Best Video nomination (his fourth of five consecutive nominations) other than the fact that the song is amazingly epic (and amazingly important).
(Watch here)
50 Cent "In Da Club" # # # # #
Directed by Phillip Atwell
The video for 50 Cent's breakthrough song "In Da Club" thinks it's saying something positive about Fiddy's ascension to fame, by training him, so to speak, for his eminent superstardom, but it actually comes across as quite the opposite. The training sequences suggest to me that any talentless hack can be sent to Eminem's "boot camp" and, in just a few lessons and cardio sessions, become a top rapper. As if this sequence isn't misguided enough, the rest of video is consists of Fiddy, quite literally, in da club doing all of the horrible rap video cliches that I praised Missy Elliott for avoiding in "Work It." I understand MTV's inclination to nominate this newcomer who seemingly came out of nowhere with this massive hit (and it's actually not that bad of a song, just nowhere near as impressive or groundbreaking as we thought in 2003), but that doesn't mean Fiddy deserved to be anywhere this shortlist.
(Watch here)
Monday, March 26, 2007
Rap Song Mondays- Eminem "Lose Yourself"
I have to admit that I’m not the biggest Eminem fan. I understand that in the music world he’s like the second coming of Christ, and I won’t deny his rapping abilities because they are spot on, but most of songs fail to connect with me. His joke songs like “My Name Is”, “The Real Slim Shady” and “Without Me” are funny the first time you hear them, but after listening to them hundreds of time on the radio, they begin to lose their appeal. I find his ultra-personal songs like “The Way That I Am” and “Cleaning Out My Closet” way too personal for me to even begin to understand. The only ones I can listen to are “Guilty Conscious” (an amazing collaboration with Dr. Dre), “Superman” and “Stan” (which I rediscovered over this summer and am still in awe of its brilliance), but even those I can only play once in awhile. There is, however, one Eminem song that I can hear over and over again without getting tired of and that’s his Oscar-winning “Lose Yourself.”
While it is definitely a personal song, it’s not in the psycho-mom-Kim’s-a-bitch style that we’re accustomed to hearing. Instead, it was written for the semi-autobiographical character of Rabbit that Eminem played in 8 Mile. In relating to the struggles of Rabbit in “Lose Yourself,” we actually catch a glimpse of what it must have been like for Eminem to grow up as poor white trash in Detroit.
No song that I can think of captures the feelings of failure and desperation as expertly or innovatively as Eminem does in this song. We feel it in everything from his lyrics to his tightly controlled delivery and flow. Rabbit/Eminem knows he is a good rapper and can come up with great rhymes, but his nerves seem to get the best of him. They are so bad that “there’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.” When this shot passes him by, he is upset that he missed what could be his only opportunity to make it out of the shitty life he can’t escape. This sense of desperation builds over the second verse and by the third, it has all but spilled over. The rhymes keep coming faster and faster as Eminem’s voice get harsher, accentuating downbeats and almost maniacally rushing all the words together so that we feel the tension rising in Rabbit as he gets on stage to rap again.
If you have ever doubted that a rapper can emote feelings in the same manner that Jennifer Hudson or Judy Garland can, seriously listen to this song and tell me it’s not a performance unto itself. “Lose Yourself” is the epitome of what rap can be, and what it should be, and if we had more of this type of song instead of fucking “Laffy Taffy Girl” or whatever shit is on the radio, rap would get a much better name.
While it is definitely a personal song, it’s not in the psycho-mom-Kim’s-a-bitch style that we’re accustomed to hearing. Instead, it was written for the semi-autobiographical character of Rabbit that Eminem played in 8 Mile. In relating to the struggles of Rabbit in “Lose Yourself,” we actually catch a glimpse of what it must have been like for Eminem to grow up as poor white trash in Detroit.
No song that I can think of captures the feelings of failure and desperation as expertly or innovatively as Eminem does in this song. We feel it in everything from his lyrics to his tightly controlled delivery and flow. Rabbit/Eminem knows he is a good rapper and can come up with great rhymes, but his nerves seem to get the best of him. They are so bad that “there’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.” When this shot passes him by, he is upset that he missed what could be his only opportunity to make it out of the shitty life he can’t escape. This sense of desperation builds over the second verse and by the third, it has all but spilled over. The rhymes keep coming faster and faster as Eminem’s voice get harsher, accentuating downbeats and almost maniacally rushing all the words together so that we feel the tension rising in Rabbit as he gets on stage to rap again.
If you have ever doubted that a rapper can emote feelings in the same manner that Jennifer Hudson or Judy Garland can, seriously listen to this song and tell me it’s not a performance unto itself. “Lose Yourself” is the epitome of what rap can be, and what it should be, and if we had more of this type of song instead of fucking “Laffy Taffy Girl” or whatever shit is on the radio, rap would get a much better name.
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