The codes and conventions of pop and hip hop usually present the star image as the main focus, which also leads to them being the most powerful throughout the music video. Techniques that make them look powerful include using things like low-angled shots to make themselves seem larger than the audience to demonstrate their power over us. There is also a frequent use of close up shots which further illustrate their power. They also spend a lot of time in the video itself, thus giving the audience the message that they must be important since they are always in the video. While performing there tends to be actors or props that can intensify the power of the star image as well. This includes things like attractive women to make them seem desirable, women are often used in these videos to look attractive and make the artist seem more power and they are often left mostly irrelevant to the song.
The artist also tends to wear a lot of expensive jewelry to demonstrate their wealth and success.
When it comes to clothing, it can go one of two ways: They can either be wearing a lot of expensive clothes such as leather jackets or designer clothes to, again, demonstrate their wealth and success. Or they would be wearing clothes that have to do with fitness or sport, this includes apparel such as sport jerseys, or tank tops (typical clothes to wear at the gym to show strength). This makes them seem powerful and shows sporting prowess.
Although they are demonstrating lots of power through what they wear, usage of props and camerawork, it is also usually kept in a positive light. There tend to be a fair amount of light colours which keeps the star image presented in a powerful state, but instead of being threatening they can be presented as being quite friendly instead.
The general vibe in a hip-hop/rap music video tends to be that of things like partying, drinking, sex and possibly drugs. This creates an overall sense of rebellion which may be appealing to the target audience of the genre, which tends to be teenagers as they are now coming of age where they are growing up and would like to prove that they are.
There tends to be some link between the song lyrics and what's going on in the music video. Typically because narrative in hip hop music videos usually don't have a strong narrative, if not there is no narrative. Therefore during the video they usually bring out props that relate to the lyrics or act in a way that illustrates the lyrics.
The artist also tends to wear a lot of expensive jewelry to demonstrate their wealth and success.
When it comes to clothing, it can go one of two ways: They can either be wearing a lot of expensive clothes such as leather jackets or designer clothes to, again, demonstrate their wealth and success. Or they would be wearing clothes that have to do with fitness or sport, this includes apparel such as sport jerseys, or tank tops (typical clothes to wear at the gym to show strength). This makes them seem powerful and shows sporting prowess.
Although they are demonstrating lots of power through what they wear, usage of props and camerawork, it is also usually kept in a positive light. There tend to be a fair amount of light colours which keeps the star image presented in a powerful state, but instead of being threatening they can be presented as being quite friendly instead.
The general vibe in a hip-hop/rap music video tends to be that of things like partying, drinking, sex and possibly drugs. This creates an overall sense of rebellion which may be appealing to the target audience of the genre, which tends to be teenagers as they are now coming of age where they are growing up and would like to prove that they are.
There tends to be some link between the song lyrics and what's going on in the music video. Typically because narrative in hip hop music videos usually don't have a strong narrative, if not there is no narrative. Therefore during the video they usually bring out props that relate to the lyrics or act in a way that illustrates the lyrics.
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