This document discusses common elements and styles in R&B music videos. It notes that R&B music videos often feature the artist, fast editing to match fast songs, and narrative, abstract, or performance elements. Fashion has a big influence, with men often wearing denim jeans while topless and women wearing minimal clothing. Tattoos and excessive jewelry are also common visual elements. Different camera angles, like low angles and close-ups, are used to convey meanings like dominance, vanity, and wealth.

2.  The artist of the song will be featured
 Editing matches the pace of the song (fast
song=lots of editing)
 Narrative/abstract/performance elements
(or a combination of the three)
 Lip syncing
 Women are sexualised (see Laura Mulvey’s
Male Gaze theory)

3. Fashion has a big influence on R&B. The men
often wear denim jeans and are topless. The
women wear minimal clothing (see Laura
Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory) and have dramatic
hair and makeup. Tattoos are also a part of the
R&B culture. When women wear excess
jewellery in their music videos this challenges
gender stereotypes as it is usually the men
wearing bling in their videos (see feminism in
R&B).

4.  Alicia Keys
 Usher
 R Kelly
 Rihanna
 John Legend
 Chris Brown
 Ne-Yo
 Nicki Minaj
 Kanye West
 Iggy Azelea
 Cee Lo Green
 Jason Derulo
 Snoop Dog

5.  Fast R&B songs are the videos with more
‘swag’. They consist of bright colours, bling,
flash cars, club scenes, champagne, etc eg
Jason Derulo – Ridin Solo
 Slow R&B songs usually follow a love story
narrative that is softened with natural
lighting to show a sense of reality eg 50 Cent
ft Nate Dogg – 21 Questions

6. Different camera angles have different
connotations. Below are those that are
commonly used in R&B videos.
 Low angles show dominance which is
common in R&B music videos as there is the
idea that the artists want to be seen as
powerful.
 Extreme close ups on the face or certain
body parts demonstrate vanity and close ups
on jewellery signify their wealth and riches.