Detailed Analysis of Hip Hop videos

MF DOOM- Madvillain - Accordion

The initial long shot reverse zooms from the accordion player, the instrument being a prop that visually accompanies the droning accordion on the soundtrack. The dark hallway setting is established through this zoom, and the low-key lighting foreshadows the appearance of the artist, MF DOOM, an abstract rapper whose gritty voice and masked costume support his villainous image.

DOOM is introduced in a two shot with the accordion player, while the camera slowly and subtly tracks his position, indicating to the audience that focus should be on him. An even more prominent use of low-key lighting connotes mystery, layering his enigmatic persona, and helping to build his realistic super villain character through mise-en-scene. After gesturing the accordion player to continue playing at a tempo suggested by the non-diegetic soundtrack, which DOOM hears in the video, he pulls a microphone prop out of his pocket and starts rapping into it, both conventional aspects of the Hip Hop genre. The intense low-key lighting still largely obscures his appearance at this stage, which is unconventional of Hip Hop music videos that usually attempt to show their artist in full directly after establishing setting.

A sharp reverse zoom from close up to mid-shot reveals MF DOOM’s mask in full. He is revealed as an African American, a conventional ethnicity of the Hip Hop genre of music, relating to the target audience somewhat. Freehand camerawork adds an urban, spontaneous style to the overall video, as if it hadn’t been planned, lending to its abstract, unconventional feel. The lack of narrative is thus justified and accentuated by the freehand camera.

Adancer is introduced, obscured by the low-key lighting and placed in the background behind DOOM who frequently blocks line of sight to her. Her implementation seems unusual, and somewhat awkward, and I believe this to be an intentional tone set by the director, playing on the condition that her presence is mandatory in order for rap audiences to relate. This subverts the conventions of the rap genre, in which most women are portrayed explicitly, in excess and are often a main focus of the video, with the rapper and dancers displayed at the forefront of most shots. In this long shot, DOOM walks to the forefront, swaying and getting in the way of the dancer. The slow paced editing really takes precedence here, with many long takes reflecting the droning, dragged out sound of the accordion sample in the instrumental. It is a conventional feature of music videos to mirror the tempo of the song through editing.

In this close up shot, DOOM points the microphone at the camera while rapping to deconstruct the expectations of the genre. The video’s implementation of the various physical conventions of Hip Hop such as dancers and microphones is contrasted with DOOM’s misuse of them, connoting the antagonistic trait that he simply doesn’t care. It also connotes an excess of this trait, as he is breaking the fourth wall to a heightened degree, by pointing the prop at the audience in a threatening manner.

In a pan from left to right, DOOM is placed along the vertical axis of the principle of thirds, in the peripheral of the frame at both the beginning and end of the shot. The frequent occurrence of this signifies an emphasis on subverting genre expectations, with the conventions being to display masculinity and aggression through becoming the main focus of the shot. To do this most rap artists would “wrestle” with the camera. However, the unusual character of DOOM is accentuated here, with him lurking in the shadows and corners of the frame in a fashion not unlike outcasts. Thus, it is a signifier explaining his masked image. DOOM does not want to be seen, for he is a freak.

A close up of DOOM’s face and mask while he looks upwards signifies hope for a man who has lost it all. The shot accentuates the movement of his eyes, which have been almost completely veiled by the shadows cast by his mask and liberal utilisation of low-key lighting, connoting vulnerability and a humanity that has been all but lost.

MF DOOM steps back from a mid-shot as a blur and pixilation effect is applied. This connotes that he has lost touch with normality, and contrasts with the previous close up where he looks somewhat hopeful. It also adds further notions of mystery and enigma behind his dark persona, as he fades into the shadows. The overall monotony of the video reflects on the monotonous style of the instrumental, coming across as somewhat sloppy and ill planned. In the soundtrack, DOOM’s musical style, in rap standards, is very sloppily executed, with him constantly rapping off beat and slurring many of his words, but intentionally. Thus, the video mirrors the spontaneity and unconventional style of DOOM, by attempting to seem somewhat unprofessional and badly executed, challenging the expectations of the form itself. Overall, the music video clearly strives to challenge conventions of both the rap genre and music video form. It’s muddy visuals, constant low-key lighting, freehand camerawork; lack of colour and variation, obscurity of the artist, use of props to subvert expectations and the monotonous style completely circumvents the standards of the modern music industry. This simplicity creates a video more memorable than that of conventional standards, though it does retain some conventional aspects, such as the tempo of the instrumental being reflected in the pace of editing. I have learnt then, that to

achieve peak effectiveness, videos should mirror the song in question as much as possible, to create consistency and reinforce originality.