An in depth, detailed analysis based on Goodwin's 7 key components of video identity. Music video: 'Tunnel Vision' by Kodak Black

2. Genre Characteristics
• Rap and grime music videos will almost always explicitly feature the artist(s) with a group of
presumed friends dancing around in a particular way; unlike boy-bands however there is no
choreography, instead they essentially sway on the spot and make hand gestures affiliated with
gangs that will also sometimes amplify the lyrics.
• Rap videos also often use editing to distort the image the audience sees, to make it ‘trippy’. In
the performance section of this video the director could be doing this to simulate a drug
effect, they’re addressing the common genre characteristic and/or expectation and ideological
stereotype that rap artists (and black people in general) all smoke weed and do drugs. The
narrative section of the video also features similarly edited distortions; my interpretation of
this is that because of the topic the narrative describes, racism and white supremacy, it’s
trying to stress how distorted the view is that Caucasians are above black people.
• The costume Kodak Black and his collective wear is also very typical of this genre; black
clothes, bandanas, gold teeth, branded trainers, chains, e.t.c.
• In the narrative, the video displays an element of social realism. Racism is a topic often
referenced in rap music; the genres known for highlighting genuine issues in society that most
are unprepared to speak about.
• As well as the literal narrative, there is also the genre relative equivalent of violent iconography
featured within the narrative including, for example, the close up shot of the man holding a
gun with the clear intention to kill the other in front of him.

3. Genre Characteristics
• The setting of the performance clips is another indicator of the rap genre. They’re stood doing the classic
‘roadman dancing’ in front of burning crosses and a dead ‘Klu Klux Klan’ member which is a hugely
symbolic backdrop as its showing that they, as black people, want to cement the fact that the KKK are
brutal and inhumane. The fact they’re stood in front is also important as it show the audience and the
world that they’re ahead of the KKK and racism, it is beneath them and they won’t tolerate that kind of
hatred in the world.
• The lighting is another point worth mentioning as it reflects the darkness of racism and death as a result of
hate crime.

4. Lyrics and Visuals
• I found that the relationship between the lyrics and visuals in this video is a clear example of disjuncture.
This is somewhat of an anomaly for the rap genre as to my knowledge this is rare, however, I think this has
been done for specific reasons rather than just ‘confusion’. Watching this video would confuse anyone
that thought about the mismatched video and lyrics, and it would be logical to conclude that this artist
doesn’t care about racial issues, that he’s showing that he doesn’t care. If one were to look deeper into it
though (as I have) I think they’d see that the director is subtly playing with the assumption most come to.
A current social issue is the idea that black people ‘don’t care’ about the discrimination they face which,
without generalising, isn’t true; but when the majority (in this case the blindly privileged and ignorant)
start to believe this, they start to manifest or vocalise racist and derogatory attitudes and speech. The
director could be trying to enlighten those in the audience willing to think deep enough about a music
video to consider a relatively untouched problem in society (particularly in the US).

5. Music and Visuals, Record labels & Motifs, and Reference
• The only real link between the music and visuals here is when the editing fits with the beat. This isn’t a
genre exclusive editing technique, editors almost always try and synchronise the timing of the beat’s
highlights with something in the video that’s intentionally done as something cool, gimmicky or on brand
for the artist.
• That particular editing style isn’t only used for synchrony though as it also ties in with one of Goodwin’s
key points; record label demands and motifs. The editing straight cuts on beat to a close up of Kodak
making a gesture he’s been advertised doing before or actions similar to.
• This relatively obscure gesture coheres with other component of Goodwin’s theory, motifs and
intertextual reference, as it is somewhat of an Easter egg for Kodak’s followers.
• The other link the music (/lyrics) and visuals link in terms of record label demands is when Kodak says ‘lil
metro on that beat’ cueing a brief flash of images and the peak of the beat before it drops into the song.
That phrase is always heard at the start of a video associated with Metro Boomin’ (Leland Tyler Wayne), a
record label owner and presumably from this the owner or ‘Tunnel Vision’.

6. Looking
• Rap music videos are indisputably dominated by the performance classification of videos and because of
this, the genre has become associated heavily with looking into the camera in a particular way. Other
genres will involve people looking in order to create a relationship between the artist(s) and the viewer(s),
which could be said for rap but preferred reading of this is reinforcement of the ‘arrogant’ stereotype of
rappers as it’s widely accepted that rappers are cocky and their lyrics only mention how extravagant their
lives are.
• The very end of the video is notable as well, while the black man has gained control of the fight the other
started a small girl is heard (off screen) then shown with in a centre-frame close-up shot shouting at them
to ‘stop’. The video uses a very short sound bridge here as the sound starts when she’s off screen and
continues to the very beginning of the finishing shot of the video; it very quickly adds to the transition of
the cuts by leading from one shot to another. As the men hear her they stop fighting immediately and look
to her implying that her as a child (with the ‘sweet/angel’ representation) shouldn’t be exposed to violent
behaviour or that she reminded them that fighting isn’t the way to resolve the issue this video so strongly
emphasises. These implications give the girl connotations of power, innocence, and morality.

7. Narrative Theories
Propp
• The Hero of this narrative is unclear as according to individual interpretation, the hero could be any of the
characters in the narrative. The black man is the obvious assumption as he is unjustly attacked then through
fighting he restores equilibrium and defeats the Villain (the white man). The villain character is the white
man intending to kill a black man for his skin colour. This is most likely to be the dominant reading and
intended meaning of this video as black rap artists tends to talk a lot about racial issues.
• The fact the he is the character that disrupts the equilibrium in opposition of the Hero, and iconography
around him also lead me to think this is intended interpretation of the narrative. The medium shot moves
from him walking to his feet next to a snake, an archetypal symbol for evil, Lucifer and sin. He is also holding
a gun in several close up shots which quite obviously connotes violence, crime, and death. Lastly, his
costume is dotted with white supremacy flags which to the majority are an extremely negative association.
• However, if the polar opposite perspective is applied and the viewer agrees with the man trying to kill the
other, then the black man becomes the Villain for opposing him. In this scenario the black man disturbs
equilibrium by resisting, this said, the white man still does nothing to restore normalcy.
• Another interpretation of this would place the black man as the Heroine and the girl as the Hero. The man
defending himself initially accepts the ending of his life and stands still, but then the girl comes into the
video and shouts 'stop' they stop fighting and equilibrium is balanced again.
Todorov
• As I’ve mentioned above, there are relatively clear points where Todorov’s narrative theory is adhered to.
There is an equilibrium stage (when there’s no fighting), and a disruption (fighting). However there is no
attempt to restore equilibrium in this particular video which perhaps suggests that racism isn’t an issue that
can be easily fixed.
Strauss
• The only example of binary opposites I found in this video where the frequent references to race
(black/white)