- Kanye West's music video for "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" references the documentary "Blood Diamond" to raise awareness about the illegal diamond trade in West Africa. - The video uses low lighting and shadows to resemble children mining for diamonds, symbolizing the concealment of their situation. Close-ups emphasize the meaning behind lyrics about "blood, sweat and tears." - A low-angle shot establishes a rebel leader's power and authority, representing the negative impact of the diamond trade on West Africans. The video pays homage to "Blood Diamond" while further exposing the social issue.

1. Natasha Shadat

2.  Intertextuality: where a media text references another text – e.g.
Painting, film, TV programme, etc.
 John Stuart: modern media “incorporates, raids and
reconstructs”
 Julia Kristeva: “any text is the absorption and transformation of
another”
 Both of these theorists highlight the idea of media being
experimental, it also has the ability to incorporate variations of
other existing media texts. It is evident that media is not unique
and is constantly using ideas from others.

3.  Kanye West born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago is an American rapper,
songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.
 West briefly attended art school before becoming known as
a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for
artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys. Roc-A-Fella Records is an American record
label founded by American recording artist Jay-Z ; a close friend of Kanye West.
 Owed to his intentions of pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his
debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and
commercial success, and founded the record label GOOD (Getting Out Our
Dreams) Music.
 This record label has other initial artists such as John Legend and Common
thus implying the labels genre of music; hip hop/rap and R&B; these two
associated acts advocate hip hop/rap and R&B. West is often branded as being
a ‘hip hop/rap revolutionary’.
 West's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant
mainstream attention. Kanye west is known for his openly controversial views
which help maintain his credibility and his ‘star image’. He has been a frequent
source of controversy for his conduct at award shows, on social media, and in
other public settings.

4.  The documentary ‘Blood Diamond’ expresses the conflict regarding the illegal sale
of diamonds in west Africa, Sierra Leone; a notorious war zone for conflict
diamonds. The illicit diamond trade still exists in some parts of west Africa for
example Ivory Coast.
 The documentary drew on actual events and illustrated the civil war (1991 –
2002), the film establishes an insight to enslaved children that are forced into child
labour, and ultimately expected to become child soldiers. They were manipulated
and to a certain extent programmed to search out diamonds.
 Many people who lived in South Africa died or had their families tortured and
killed to sell/export their diamonds to other countries.
 As a result, Sierra Leone became inevitably corrupt due to warlords having
economic, and political control over these civilians and using them for unethical
purposes. Revolutionary United Front (RUF) Rebels used proceeds from diamonds
to fund a cruel civil war as they purchased weapons and ammunition from
neighbouring countries. E.g. Liberia
 In 2007, a film called ‘Blood Diamond’ was released to heighten the awareness of
the illegal trade of conflict diamonds. “We need to make sure that the diamond we
buy to express our love is not destroying the life of someone we will never know” –
Edward Zwick, writer – director of Blood Diamond.

6.  The music promo incorporates low key lighting and shadows to resemble
the children mining for diamonds. By using low key lighting and not
revealing faces in some parts of the music video could symbolise the
concealment and the lack of acknowledgement of these innocent children.
To elaborate, the use of minimal lighting could represent how people
around the world view these children in the diamond trade, for example,
due to this being a taboo world occurrence it is under represented in
media and therefore people, especially the ones in first world countries
are not well informed and lack knowledge in relation to this social issue.
 Close up shots were utilised to focus on the main agenda of the music
video, close ups help to emphasise the true meaning behind this music
promo, for example when blood is dripping out of the ring and all over her
forearm, it signifies the idea of ‘blood, sweat and tears’ that the civilians
put into panning and digging up these diamonds.
 A low angle shot is identified as the camera tilts on a Revolutionary United
Front (RUF) Rebel to direct power and authority. The low angle proposes
his jurisdiction, whilst the camera focuses on him, it is evident hat he is
shouting almost as though he is conducting orders and dictating his
demands. The audience are able to identify a weapon (gun) around his
waist, this also supports the representation of power and authority, also
creates the ideology of negative connotations which is the assassination
of innocent West Africans.

7. Kanye west pays homage to the documentary ‘Blood Diamond’ as his
references are deemed as respectful to the original media text. Homage
aims to show how commendable and worthy the original text is. Kanye
West, as discussed before encourages the idea of contentious concepts
which is therefore why he could have felt it was necessary to create such a
controversial music video; as it illustrates and exposes social concerns in
West Africa. He enables his viewers to become subjected to the truth
behind conflict diamonds. By doing this, not only the documentary being
intertextually referenced but his music promo; ‘Diamonds from Sierra
Leone’ reiterates this social problem and seeks to call attention to it, raising
awareness and openly provokes the idea of progress from the unlawful
diamond trade.

8.  The viewers can establish a different perception and also a hidden
meaning within the text. This would therefore support the idea of feeling
involved as they can ‘read between the lines’ and the audience have the
ability to engage with the artists expressions and concepts.
 Intertextuality is used so that the audience feel a sense of nostalgia as it
reminds the audience of the past and evokes the idea of engagement
between the media text and the text receiver. Also it can privilege the
audience as they feel they are part of the ‘in joke’ but the text can still be
understood by others unaware or intertextual references.
 As well as Kanye West’s previous opinionated views by creating ‘Diamonds
from Sierra Leone’, it implements his typical character of being
controversial. The music video imitates his fixed character and represents
himself as headstrong and impulsive. The audience expect this from him,
however they still gain interest in his projects. He must have felt that it
was crucial to create this music promo as he is iconic for controversial
schemes.