The document discusses genre characteristics and conventions of hip hop music videos based on analysis of specific music videos. Some key conventions discussed include use of luxury items, performance elements, voyeuristic treatment of women, amplified relationships between lyrics and visuals, illustrative relationships between music and visuals, use of close-ups to introduce artists, and intertextual references. The document analyzes several music videos to identify and examine these conventions.

1. Summary
Michael Tibby

2. Genre Characteristics
• From the research of hip hop songs ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ and ‘OTIS’
conventions of hip hop music videos can clearly be extracted. For example
both music videos feature the use of materialistic objects: expensive cars
jewellery and other luxurious objects, in addition they both have some
sort of performance element involved in the video. Another convention of
hip hop music videos is the use of the female body and the voyeuristic
treatment that is used, for example the music video ‘Work Out’ by J.Cole
features various shots of women in bikinis and of women dancing at a
party. Similarly in
‘Holiday’ by Dizzee
Rascal features the
same voyeuristic
notion of looking at
the women dancing
at a pool party.
This notion of
looking is enjoyable
for the target market
of this genre.

3. Relationship between lyrics and visuals
• In ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ and ‘OTIS’ the relationship between lyrics and
visuals is both amplifying and illustrative. This is portrayed through
exaggerated actions on screen when performing, which seems to be a
typical convention of most hip hop songs for example in ‘Work Out’ the
relationship between lyrics and visuals is amplified and in ‘Holiday’ the
relationship is amplified however not as frequent. Most hip hop songs
therefore contain amplified relationships between lyrics and visuals.
‘Work Out’ features various amplified shots of J.Cole whilst he’s
performing i.e. when he says “Im here for one night how far can you go..”
it cuts to a low angle shot of him gesturing the lyric ‘one night’.
• Likewise in ‘Holiday’ Dizzee Rascal does the same thing: “Don’t watch my
passport photo, I know I look a bit loco”

4. Relationship between music and
visuals
• Generally in hip hop videos the relationship between music and visuals is
illustrative, amplifying or both. For example in ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ the
video is both illustrative and amplifying. In ‘Work Out’ J.Cole uses
amplified actions when the corresponding lyric is said in order to obtain
these actions medium shots are used to capture a significant proportion of
the artists body and any gestures that may be used. This is typical with all
hip hop music videos and in ‘Holiday’ although there aren’t many
amplified actions a range of camera shots are used in order to capture the
hand gestures and body movement being used, in this music video it helps
the audience to get a feel for the pace and environment of the video.

5. Demands of the record label
• According to Goodwin’s theory, in order to meet the demands of the
record label close up shots need to be used to introduce the artists in the
song. Conventionally the main artist of the music video is shown first and
in either a close up or medium close up. It introduces the artists’ role in
the music video and their significance in order of appearance or distance
from the camera. For example in ‘OTIS’ both Kanye West and Jay-Z appear
on screen however because Jay-Z’s verse is first he appears closer to the
screen but his significance is exactly the same to Kanye West’s. In ‘Drop It
Like It’s Hot’ Snoop Dogg has various close ups taken of him, he appears
before Pharrell Williams to introduce his role and then Pharrell Williams’
role.
• In ‘Work Out’ a medium close up of J.Cole is taken which establishes his
role and importance in the music video. In ‘Holiday’ a glimpse of Dizzee
Rascal is shown before anyone else however not for long, after that
various close ups of him are shown. This is so the audience know who is
performing and to give focus to the subject

6. Voyeuristic treatment of the female
body
• The hip hop genre is very typical when it comes to the notion of looking in
a voyeuristic way. Mostly this is used when looking at women in a sexual
way however occasionally the same is done for men. For example in
‘Holiday’ women are portrayed in an extremely voyeuristic way however
some of the men in the video are topless, this could be a voyeuristic
notion of looking on the other hand, it could just be the general theme of
the video and the idea of being on holiday. In ‘Work Out’ the same
voyeuristic treatment of women is used, this makes the video more
enjoyable for the target audience.

7. Intertextual references
• In the examples used there are no intertextual references which could be
typical of the whole genre itself. This could be due to the performance
element of the genre and making the video solely to focus on the talent of
the artist.