Music videos not as cool as back in the day

By Kylie Wakefield
Collegian Staff
November 8, 2006

I’ve come to expect nothing above average, crappy programming from my once dear friend, MTV. Music Television is an ironic name, of course, because the show is now littered with staged “reality” shows, eight minute commercial breaks and perhaps a rerun or two of the once substantive Video Music Awards. They do have channels dedicated to music videos, such as MTV2, MTV3 and eventually MTV45678. But, on a fine Saturday morning, as I sat watching one of these channels with the “hottest” and latest videos, I noticed something. Something that made me lose my faith in today’s music business: all of the videos looked the same.

Ninety-five percent of the videos I viewed that morning were rap and/or hip-hop. After a while, they all started to run together to create one, huge, uncreative blob of messy, annoying editing and bad subject matter. Every video featured similar elements: expensive, fast cars; girls wearing little to no clothing; billowing smoke; bottles of champagne and bling (grills, etc.) or anything else generally considered pricey.

It seemed like one rapper after another was trying to impress the viewer. What for? If the music is decent, the artist shouldn’t have to try and impress anyone. They will do so in an auditory fashion. Perhaps these directors know that the songs aren’t very good after all and try to help the rapper by distracting viewers from what they’re hearing. When I see all these elements in a video, it doesn’t slight me a bit. I couldn’t care less if 50 Cent just bought a Ferrari or drinks bottles of lavish champagne. And if these videos are made so that the artists will have a better image amongst their peers, why don’t they just project that image in real life? Why must it be through a television screen? It’s just giving some kid sitting at home in Middle America a (probably) false impression of what a rapper’s life is really like. They don’t show that selling records is actual work and not just about spending money wherever and whenever possible.

I’ve also noticed that young adults who admire these artists will try and be like them by spending their own hard-earned money. People will buy expensive jewelry and clothing to impress and project a rapper-like image. I know that if people don’t accept you for who you are, clothes or fancy bling won’t impress them. But then again, what’s the point in trying anyway if people don’t like you for who you really are?

As a filmmaker, I try to appreciate the effort that goes into these videos. But I find it hard to accept these efforts when all of the videos are edited similarly; the editors make constant fast cuts, turn up the contrast and digitally touch-up the actors. Now, I’m not saying that every single video is the same, but generally the mainstream ones are consistent in style. The most unique video I saw was Pittbull’s “Ay Chico,” which featured members of the community, from an old man to a waitress, lip-synching to the song. It was entertaining, it was funny and it didn’t hurt that the song sure was bangin’.

Videos used to not be so similar; at least, that’s what it seemed like in the late ’90s. There was Missy Elliot, who never failed to make a hilarious and crazy video. There was Busta Rhymes, who’s “Gimme Some More” video was one of the most impressive ones ever made. Today, there may be an artist like Lady Sovereign and her ridiculous “Love Me or Hate Me” video, but she’s a rarity in this slowly declining music business.

I hope artists will choose to be more creative with their ideas for videos in the future, and the fad of poor, inartistic music videos will die out. If not, I’ll just have to get up, go to the other side of the room, pick up my trusty remote and turn to VH1 Classic. I’ll always have a friend there.

wakefieldk1@lasalle.edu