Genre Research. A2 Media.

2. GENRE FOCUS

3. MUSIC VIDEO FOCUSES
• KENDRICK LAMAR – ALRIGHT – THE MUSIC VIDEOS FOCUSES ON BLACK OPPRESSION BY POLICE AND THE IDEA
OF MINORITY VIOLENCE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOODS SUCH AS COMPTON ETC.
• JAY Z – 99 PROBLEMS – THE MUSIC VIDEO AGAIN FOCUSES ON BLACK OPPRESSION AND FEATURES CONTENT
QUITE SIMILAR TO “ALRIGHT”, TACKLING THEMES OF INJUSTICE.
• DRAKE – STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM – THIS IS A DIFFERENT TAKE ON RAP, PORTRAYING THE WEALTHY THEME
OF RAP, IN WHICH DRAKE DISCUSSES HOW HIS SUCCESS LED TO A NEW LIFESTYLE FOR HIM WITH EXCESSIVE
PARTYING, FAME AND ATTENSION.

4. CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES
• “ALRIGHT”
• KENDRICK LAMAR’S ‘ALRIGHT’ MAKES USE OF AN ARRAY OF DIFFERENT CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES TO PORTRAY
DIFFERENT MESSAGES TO HIS AUDIENCE. THE USE OF DIFFERENT CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES ADDS TO AESTHETIC OF
THE MUSIC VIDEO AND ALMOST SUGGESTS THAT IT ALLOWS AUDIENCES TO SEE THE EVENTS OF THE MUSIC VIDEO
FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, I.E. SINCE THE MUSICVIDEO IS ABOUT BLACK OPPRESSION AGAINST THE LAW.
• THE RECURRING SHOTS (THAT ARE VERY NOTICEABLE) AND CREATE EXPLICIT MEANING ARE THE CLOSE-UP SHOTS. THE
CLOSE UP SHOTS MAY CONNOTE THE STRUGGLES THAT THE MINORITIES GO THROUGH; WE SEE IT THEIR DEPRESSION
THROUGH THEIR EXPRESSIONS AND MAKE-UP. THIS ALLOWS THE AUDIENCE TO MAKE INFERRANCES AS TO WHAT THE
MUSIC VIDEO’S MESSAGES AND ALLOW THEM TO SYMPATHISE WITH SUCH ABHORRENT THEMES

5. Examples of Close-up
shots in “Alright”.
CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES

6. CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES
• ANGLES THAT ALRIGHT PORTRAYS VERY FREQUENTLY IS THE USE OF HIGH AND LOW ANGLE. STEREOTYPICALLY,
THE USE OF HIGH AND LOW ANGLES, IS TO SHOW THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE SUBJECT. THIS CAN
BE APPLIED TO THE ALRIGHT VIDEO, THE USE OF THE OPPRESSION THEME MAY INFER THAT THOSE WHO ARE
OPPRESSED BE SUBJECTED TO THE HIGH ANGLE SHOT, TO SHOW THEIR WEAKNESS IN REGARD TO THE
SITUATION THEY FACE.
Examples of High/Low
Angles in Alright

7. CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES
• JAY Z – 99 PROBLEMS
• 99 PROBLEMS IS SIMILAR TO ALRIGHT IN MANY WAYS, PARTICULARLY DUE TO THE THEMES THAT BOTH MUSIC VIDEOS
PORTRAYS. IT ADDS TO THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE INJUSTICE ASPECT THAT RAP BECAME RENOWNED FOR. 99 PROBLEMS
MAKES USE OF A VARIETY OF SHOTS AND ANGLES, THAT ALMOST MAKES IT A STEREOTYPE AMONGST MUSIC VIDEOS IN
GENERAL. HOWEVER, 99 PROBLEMS INCORPORATES UNIQUE CAMERA TECHNIQUES TO COMPLEMENT TO NARRATIVE.
• 99 PROBLEMS MAKES USE OF UNIQUE TRACKING SHOTS THAT CAPTURES THE LOCATION OF THE SHOOT, AND HAS NO
SUBJECT WITHIN THE FRAME. THIS COULD CREATE MEANING FOR THE AUDIENCE IN A VERY UNORTHODOX WAY. BY
SHOWING THE AUDIENCE THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH LOOKS PARTICULARLY ’GHETTO’, AS IN UNPLEASANT, IT COULD
ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS AS TO HOW HARD IT MAY BE FOR THE PLACES INHABITANTS TO LIVE
THEIR DAILY LIVES.

8. CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES
• 99 PROBLEMS ALSO MAKES USE OF THE SHAKYCAM – A CAMERA TECHNIQUE BY WHICH THERE IS NO STABILITY
WITHIN THE FRAME; THIS TECHNIQUE ALSO HAS MEANING WITHIN IT. THE USE OF SHAKYCAM COULD IMPLY THE
INSTABILITY OF LIFE WITHIN THE GHETTO, AND THAT THE POPULATION FACE A LOT OF VIOLENT ACTION AGAINST
THEM. THE SHAKYCAM IS STEREOTYPICALLY USED FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS ACTION OR TO SHOW THE
MALLEABILITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES FOR A SUBJECT.
Use of the tracking shot in
99 Problems

9. • DRAKE – ‘STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM’
• STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM HAS A DIFFERENT TONE AND FOCUSES ON DIFFERENT THEMES THAN THE OTHER TWO
SONGS. THE THEME PARTICULARLY FOCUSES ON THE WEALTHY GENRE AND FEATURES DRAKE TALKING ABOUT HOW HE
HAS BECOME A SUPERSTAR. HOWEVER, LIKE THE PREVIOUS TWO MUSIC VIDEOS, THIS MUSICVIDEO MAKES USE OF
MULTIPLE CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES TO MIRROR THE STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYAL OF RAP MUSIC.
• THE MUSIC VIDEO MAKES EXTENSIVE USE OF LONG/WIDE SHOTS. THE USE OF WIDE SHOTS IN THE MUSIC VIDEO
CREATES MEANING BY EXHIBITING THE PARTY LIFESTYLE, WHICH ACTS AS A NARRATIVE DEVICE TO DEPICT THE
PROTAGONISTS RISE TO FAME.
CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES

10. CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES
Use of long shot in Started
From The Bottom

11. EDITING
• A TRAIT THAT ALL THREE MUSIC VIDEOS SHARE IN REGARDS TO EDITING IS THAT THE EACH CUT
CORRELATES TO THE BEAT, FOR INSTANCE: IF A RIFF COMES TO AN END AND IS ABOUT TO REPLAY, THE CUT
TO A NEW FRAME WOULD OCCUR AT THIS POINT.
• ‘ALRIGHT’
• ALRIGHT MAKES USE OF SLOW-PACED EDITING; IT CAN BE SUGGESTED THAT THIS TECHNIQUE OF EDITING IS
USED FOR ’ALRIGHT’ BECAUSE THE DIRECTOR AND LAMAR PERHAPS WANTS THE AUDIENCE TO CLEARLY SEE
EVERY DETAIL OF AGONY THAT THE POPULATION ENDURES SO THAT LAMAR CAN FORWARD HIS POINT IN THE
INJUSTICE THEME.

12. EDITING
• ‘99 PROBLEMS’
• IN CONTRAST TO ’ALRIGHT’, ‘99 PROBLEMS’ MAKE USE OF FAST-PACED EDITING, FEATURING SEVERAL CUTS. PERHAPS
THE ONLY REASON FOR ‘99 PROBLEMS’ HAVING SUCH FAST-PACED CUTTING IS BECAUSE THE SONG ITSELF IS TOO
FAST THAT SLOW-PACED EDITING MAY NOT FIT THE MUSICAND THUS MIGHT NOT MAKE THE MUSIC VIDEO FEEL RIGHT.
• ‘STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM
• STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM MAKES USE OF EDITING THAT IS NOT TOO FAST OR TOO SLOW. IT’S PACED NORMALLY.
STARTED WITH THE BOTTOM ALSO MAKES USE OF SLOW MOTION SHOTS, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THREE
FACTORS: THE SEXUAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMAN, THE PORTRAYAL OF SMOKING LIFESTYLE AND THE USE OF MONEY.
THE MUSIC VIDEO MAY UTILISE THIS, AS IT IS A COMMON CONVENTION IN REGARDS TO WEALTHY RAP DEPICTIONS.

13. EDITING
• USE OF COLOUR GRADING
• WHILE ”STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM” MAKES USE OF NORMAL COLOURING, “99 PROBLEMS” AND “ALRIGHT”
MAKE USE OF BLACK AND WHITE COLOUR GRADING – THIS CREATES MEANING, AS BOTH MUSIC VIDEOS TACKLE
THE THEME OF OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE, THE USE OF BLACK AND WHITE COLOURING CREATES ALMOST A
DARK AND DESOLATE ATMOSPHERE BY WHICH NO TOLERANCE OR HOPE EXISTS, SO THE COLOUR GRADING
REALLY HELPS PROMOTE THE THEMES OF THE MUSIC VIDEO, AS STEREOTYPICALLY THE BLACK AND WHITE
COLOURING IS USED TO REPRESENT DARK MOODS, THUS SENDING EXPLICIT MESSAGES TO THE AUDIENCE
REGARDING WHAT THIS MUSIC VIDEO IS ABOUT.

14. STYLE, COSTUME AND PROPS
STYLE AND COSTUME
• 99 PROBLEMS’ AND ‘ALRIGHT’
• DUE TO THE FACT THAT BOTH MUSIC VIDEOS INCORPORATE THE SAME THEMES AND TONES, THEY ALSO HAVE
SIMILAR STYLES AND CLOTHING. THE CLOTHING REPRESENTS A VERY GHETTO STYLE, WITH THE COSTUMES OF
THE PROTAGONISTS BEING VERY GENERIC. IN 99 PROBLEMS, JAY-Z WEARS A BIG WINTER JACKET, A BLACK
SHIRT AND BOTTOMS, IT’S VERY SIMPLE AND DOESN’T ATTRACT ANY ATTENTION. IN ALRIGHT, KENDRICK LAMAR
WEARS A HOODIE AND JEANS (A MORE STEREOTYPICAL RAP ATTIRE), BUT AGAIN LIKE 99 PROBLEMS, IT’S
SIMPLE. THE GENERIC CLOTHING CREATES MEANING BY SHOWING THAT PERHAPS CLOTHES ISN’T A BIG ASPECT
OF THEIR LIVES DUE TO ALL THE ABHORRENCE THEY FACE.

15. STYLE, COSTUME AND PROPS
• STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM
• PREDOMINANTLY, THE COSTUMES FEATURED IN STARTED BY THE BOTTOM REFLECT THE WEALTHY THEME OF RAP
MUSIC. IN THE MUSIC VIDEO, DRAKE IS SEEN SPORTING BRANDED CLOTHING, INCLUDING SHIRTS, JEANS AND
JACKETS; THEY ALL LOOK EXPENSIVE AND EXTRAVAGANT. TO FURTHER COMPLIMENT THIS, DRAKE IS ALSO SEEN
WEARING GOLD CHAINS AND JEWELS. THIS IS TO SHOW THE WEALTH THAT DRAKE POSSESSES.

16. STYLES, COSTUME AND PROPS

17. STYLE, COSTUME AND PROPS
PROPS
• ‘ALRIGHT’ AND THE GUN
• THE FOCUS FRAME ON THE GUN IN ‘ALRIGHT’ IS PERHAPS THE FRAME THAT DENOTES WHAT THE MUSIC VIDEO IS
ABOUT. IN THE FRAME A POLICE OFFER IS SEEN FIRING A GUN AT A MAN. THIS CINEMATOGRAPHIC SHOT IS USED
TO INVOKE THE THEME OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND OPPRESSION, AND PERHAPS EVEN MAKE THE AUDIENCE
SYMPATHISE FOR THOSE OPPRESSED.

18. STYLE, COSTUME AND PROPS
• STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM AND WEALTHY INVOKING PROPS
• STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM MAKES USE OF PROPS THAT ARE OFTEN RELATED TO THE WEALTHY GENRE, THIS
INCLUDES: FANCY SPORTS CARS, PRIVATE JETS, MANSIONS AND EVEN THE GOLD CHAINS (WHICH IS A
STEREOTYPICAL CONVENTION OF RAP. THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING TO SHOW THE WEALTHY LIFESTYLE OF
DRAKE.

19. LOCATION AND SETTING
• ”ALRIGHT”
• THE SETTING OF ALRIGHT IS IN A GHETTO OF A METROPOLITAN CITY, LOS ANGELES. KENDRICK MAY HAVE USED
AN LA GHETTO AS A LOCATION FOR THE MUSIC VIDEO PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF OPPRESSION AND
MINORITY VIOLENCE IN AREAS LIKE COMPTON, WHICH HAVE BECOME INFAMOUS FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES,
INCLUDING POLICE BRUTALITY.
• ”99 PROBLEMS”
• 99 PROBLEMS IS ALSO SET IN A GHETTO, BUT THIS GHETTO IS UNKNOWN, WHICH COULD HAVE MEANING IN THE
OVERALL MESSAGE OF THE MUSIC VIDEO. THE MEANING COULD BE IS THAT EVERY MINORITY GHETTO FACED
SUCH NASTY INTOLERANCE AND BRUTALITY, WHICH CREATES AUDIENCE AWARENESS.

20. LOCATION AND SETTING
• “STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM”
• THE SETTINGS OF STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM VARY, BUT THEY ALL CORRELATE TO THE THEME OF WEALTH, AS
EXPLAINED BEFORE, SUCH AS MANSIONS, CLUBS, PRIVATE JETS ETC. THIS HAS THE SAME PURPOSE AND
MEANING AT IT IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS LIVES OF WEALTHY RAPPERS.