Prelim analysis of music video

1. Otis by Jay Z
BRAD ROWLAND

2. Lyrics
The lyrics to Otis by Jay Z shows how they have developed and become famous of rap and now
they are now rich off the living they have made. ‘Poppin' bottles, puttin' supermodels in the cab,
proof’ and ‘New watch alert, Hublot's Or the big face Rollie I got two of those’ this further
emphasises how much money both the rappers have. ‘They ain't see me cause I pulled up in my
other Benz Last week I was in my other other Benz’ as the rappers say this lyric they stand in
front of a personalised Maybach. These lyrics matches the music video.

3. Music
The music of Otis is a slow paced beat with fast rapping over the top. This allows the rappers to
have an easy flow with the beat, the lyrics with the music videos goes well together. The
background music has an almost old fashion singer producing a tune as this happens it brings a
beat that is almost never been heard before making it very significant. Soul singer Otis Redding,
whose version of "Try a Little Tenderness" is sampled in the song at the start and the
background music.

4. Mise en scene/ genre
The music video is outside and the lighting is light and has a blue sky so therefore meaning that
is has a upbeat mood, a good feeling towards the music. The only prop in the video is a
personalised Maybach with no doors, no windows and has no roof. This shows that they are
reckless and have no care about safety as the car is going very quick. Both Jay Z and Kanye West
are wearing chains watches blue baggy jeans and a white t-shirt this typically what rappers will
wear, this will make the target audience want to wear what they wear. All the other women in
the car haven’t got many clothes on as well.

5. Camerawork
The camera is either underneath or in front both Jay Z and Kanye West this implies that the two
rappers are talking to the audience, this makes the audience feel as if we are there. The camera
is always focused on the two rappers showing us that they are the main focus of the whole
video. As Kanye West says ‘your’ in the video he points to the camera further implying that the
audience are involved. The only different shots that are made in the video is moving with the car
as both the rappers are driving it. As they talk they have the American flag behind them this
meaning they stand fro America and love their country.

6. Editing
The editing of the video is only changing scenes the video goes along with the two rappers as
the walk about the scene, the rap is slow and this therefore makes the editing slow as they do
not have to follow the fast beat which it doesn’t have. The editing too change scenes is slow and
its all based in the same setting. The only real editing inside the music video is the shift of focus
as the two rappers switch to driving the cars.

7. Intertextuality
Jay-Z's 1998 video for "Money Ain't a Thing," in which he and Jermaine Dupri raced expensive
whips for cash. So in the video he presents him driving a fast, broken down, personalised car
which then refers to that video. Another key scene has Jay Z and Kanye Wesyt in front of an
America flag, similar to the one Givenchy designer Ricardo Tisci used in the design for the "Otis"
single cover. In the music video they both make diamond signs with their hands referring to their
early Roc-A-Fella record days. Soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of "Try a Little
Tenderness" is sampled in the song at the start and the background music.

8. Narrator/performance
The video consists of both Jay Z and Kanye West walking around not dancing but almost just
rapping along with it as both the rappers are not really known for dancing or performing moves
on the stage or videos. The main focus is them two rapping whilst walking and talking to the
camera, also them driving the personalised car around. There’s no real narrative inside the video
as it just consists of performance.

9. Star image/ brand
Jay Z and Kanye West are presenting themselves as rich as they are wearing expensive watches
and drive expensive cars. As this was released during 2011 this was the spike in both their
careers that lead to them being successful in what they do. As the two rappers combine to make
a album this song was one of the best in the album.

10. Voyeurism
The two rappers in the video show off their expensive clothes, jewellery and in general their
lifestyle. This explains and presents to the reader their wealth and also will inspire many young
boys to want to become wealthy in the right ways, even though the lyrics shows that they
maybe spend their money on other things. The two rappers connote the idea that they are
proud to be who they are and proud to be as rich as they are.

11. Context
Jay-Z's 1998 video for "Money Ain't a Thing," in which he and Jermaine Dupri raced expensive
whips for cash. So in the video he presents him driving a fast, broken down, personalised car
which then refers to that video. Another key scene has Jay Z and Kanye Wesyt in front of an
America flag, similar to the one Givenchy designer Ricardo Tisci used in the design for the "Otis"
single cover. In the music video they both make diamond signs with their hands referring to their
early Roc-A-Fella record days. Soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of "Try a Little
Tenderness" is sampled in the song at the start and the background music.