The document analyzes 6 music videos based on their portrayal of gender roles, race, sexuality, materialism, violence, and type of music. For each video, the student answers questions about these themes such as how men and women are portrayed, what races are shown, whether sexuality or violence is depicted, and what brands or products are featured. The overall messages conveyed generally focus on gender stereotypes, celebrating diversity, objectification of women, and materialism.

1. Megan McGehee
First Year Seminar
Harold Blanco
7 July 2014
Group Music Video Analysis
Gender Roles
Song Title: ____Shabba__________________________________
Artist: ______A$AP Ferg________________________________
Directions: As you closely watch the music video, answer the following questions with as
much detail as possible.
1. What are the men/women doing? (Dancing, sitting, swimming, etc.)
The women are being subservient, serving the men, incidental. The men are the center of
attention, showing off visual displays of their wealth, signs of higher status than the women.
2. How are the men/women dressed? How much skin is revealed?
Men are dressed in fancy, expensive clothing and jewelry. Provocatively dressed women, lots of
skin revealed.
3. Are there more, fewer, or the same number of men as women?
There are many more men than women.
4. Describe the body language of the men/women: are they sitting, standing, gyrating,
mugging, etc.?
Men’s body language is of superiority and wealth, being served. Women are meeting their needs
and desires. Men are flashing their rings, chains, gold teeth, cars, fancy clothing. Dancing of
women is for the men’s pleasure, whereas the dancing of the men is for their own enjoyment.
5. Do the men/women have power? How do you know?
The men appear to have power evidenced by the material aspects (home, car, food) belonging to
them. The women are serving them. The song title, “Shabba” means Jamaican Dance Hall
Artist.
6. What³s the message of the song?
Women are of less value than material things. Women are there to serve and satisfy men.
7. What type of music is the song? Rap/soul.

2. Megan McGehee
First Year Seminar
Harold Blanco
7 July 2014
Music Video Analysis
Race
Song Title: ___Black & White___________________________________
Artist: ______Michael Jackson________________________________
Directions: As you closely watch the music video, answer the following questions with as
much detail as possible.
1. What races do you see represented?
Many ethnic groups are represented: African Tribes, Asian, Indian, Russian, Siamese, Native
Americans, Black Americans, White Americans.
2. Are there any dark skinned women shown? How many?
Yes, numerous.
3. What is the race of the person at the focus of the video?
Black, African-American (artist).
4. What are the black/Latino/Asian/white/Native American/Pacific Islander people doing?
Celebrating elements of their culture by performing traditional dances, wearing native
clothing/costumes. Video does show contrast with some hate/racist groups/activities: military
truck with rocket launchers, KKK crosses burning. Shows black and white children/babies
hanging out together. The video showcases the “morphing” of all the races/faces into each other.
5. What³s the message of the song?
Celebrating diversity; our cultures/color may be different, but we are all the same. There should
be no hate because of the color of one’s skin.
6. What type of music is the song?
Pop.

3. Megan McGehee
First Year Seminar
Harold Blanco
7 July 2014
Music Video Analysis
Sexuality
Song Title: _____Girls, Girls, Girls_________________________________
Artist: _________Mötley Crüe_____________________________
Directions: As you closely watch the music video, answer the following questions with as
much detail as possible.
1. Describe any sexually explicit body language:
Women were “pole dancing,” stripping off their clothing, provocatively dancing, exposing
nudity in the shadows. Men were tucking dollar bills into the dancers’ clothing, making sexually
suggestive gestures.
2. Who is more sexualized • men or women? Both? The women.
3. Are there sexually explicit lyrics or messages?
Yes, describe women physically as sexual objects “long legs, burgundy lips,” “red lips,
fingertips,” “trick or treat, sweet to eat,” “tell me a story, you know the one I like,” “she did me
and broke my heart,” “I need a new toy,” “dance for me, I’ll keep you overemployed.” The
sexually explicit message is that girls are easily available everywhere – “Girls, girls, girls,” Doll
House in Fort Lauderdale, Tattletails in Atlanta, Sunset Strip, 7th Veil, Crazy Horse in Paris, B-
B-Body Shop at the marble arch, etc.
4. How are subjects of the music video dressed? Women are in sexy negligees, “stripper”
costumes. Men are in street clothes, biker outfits, business suits.
5. Describe the relationships between the men and women: Are they long or short term?
Casual or serious?
The relationships between the men and women in the video are short term, casual relationships.
Men are paying to watch women dance provocatively.
6. What³s the message of the song?
The purpose of women is for men’s entertainment and as objects of sexual satisfaction.
Women’s sexuality is for sale.
7. What type of music is the song? Rock n Roll/Heavy Metal.

4. Megan McGehee
First Year Seminar
Harold Blanco
7 July 2014
Music Video Analysis
Materialism
Song Title: ___Fashion Killa___________________________________
Artist: _______A$AP Rocky__________________________
Directions: As you closely watch the music video, answer the following questions with as
much detail as possible.
1. Describe the products that are highlighted in the video: (cars, jewelry, clothes, etc.)
The artist sings about his girlfriends’ expensive clothes.
2. Are any brand names shown?
Many brand names were mentioned: Alexander, Wang, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana
Balenciaga, Escada, Cartier, Helmut, Lang, etc.
3. How is wealth defined in the video?
The artist in the video shows how his girlfriend loves trendy clothes. In the lyrics, “Rick
Owens, Raf Simons, boy, she got it by the stock. She ball until she fall, that means she
shop till she drop.” We can understand that the artist sees and values his girlfriend by her
clothes and their expensiveness, which proves that the girl in this video is materialistic as
the singer.
4. Are products mentioned in the song lyrics?
The singer was singing about the jeans, heels, bags, eyewear, etc.
5. What³s the message of the song?
A song promotes, as the singer says, “swagging.” Materialistic people value others by
their status and income. People judge other people by their clothes, and it seems that the
singer loves his girlfriend and her taste in clothes.
6. What type of music is the song?
This is Hip-Hop/RnB music.

5. Megan McGehee
First Year Seminar
Harold Blanco
7 July 2014
Music Video Analysis
Violence
Song Title: _____Jump Around_________________________________
Artist: ___House of Pain______________________________
Directions: As you closely watch the music video, answer the following questions with as
much detail as possible.
1. Describe any violent lyrics in the song:
The lyrics of the song are “jump around.” This is referring to beating up on the police. The
lyrics also say, “I came to win in me as a sin. Try and play the role and the whole crew will act
up. Get up stand up. You must bust them in the eye. If your steps up I’m going, I’m smacking the
ho. So, if you come to battle bring a shotgun, shotgun. Try and step me you’ll take your last
breath. ‘Cause when I shoot to give, I shoot to kill. I never eat a pig, ‘cause a pig is a cop.”
2. Describe any violent body language:
The body language is jumping around in circles, suggesting that it is ok to fight the police. The
“dance moves” are aggressive posturing and punching. As the video goes on you see that there
are a few people with bloody noses.
3. Describe any violent actions or weapons that are shown:
Some of the violent weapons shown are clubs and guns. Some of the violent actions are that
they appear gang-like; all young, all white men, hair the same, clothing the same, actions the
same, etc. The initial scene in the video takes place in a bar and there was aggressive behavior.
4. Describe any self-mutilation or violence:
Young people commit the violence done in this video. Signs of mutilation would be the bloody
noses.
5. What³s the message of the song?
The message of the song is that young, white males, wearing hoodies are ganging up on each
other and the police.
6. What type of music is the song?
This is rap/dance music.