This video analysis discusses various shots from The Weeknd's "Reminder" music video and analyzes how they conform to genres and stereotypes. Several shots feature wealth symbols like expensive cars and clothes, reinforcing hip-hop stereotypes. Other shots sexualize women, in line with common R&B tropes. Throughout, the video blends elements of both hip-hop and R&B, supporting the theory of genre hybridization.

1. MUSIC VIDEO SCREENSHOT
ANALYSIS

2. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
The genre of this song is R&B/Hip-Hop, it is a perfect example of Rick Altman’s
theory of ‘genre hybridisation’, the video contains stereotypes and aspects from
both genres, suggesting there are no ‘pure’ genres anymore.

3. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
This still shot, conforms to hip-hop
stereotypes of being rebellious, the gestures
made byThe Weeknd reinforces this
stereotype.As you can see the main artist,
The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky, are standing
up in an expensive, moving car not only
showing them being rebellious but
reinforcing their wealth as well which is
another stereotype amplified in hip-hop
videos, the exotic clothes the artists are
wearing also reinforce wealth.
The lyrics at this point in the video say ‘I
ain’t gotta tell you’ which also like the visual
represent rebellious tones.This could be
argued therefore as a narrative clip
according to Carlsson’s theory as the lyrics
mirror the visuals.

4. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
This still shot is at the start of the
video, it is a close up of the artist
suggesting thatTheWeeknd is
trying to sell or promote himself.
This then could be argued as a
performance video at this point,
conforming to Carlsson’s theory,
as the focus is solely on the
artist.The fact that this shot has
no lyrics reinforces this focus. In
the background a helicopter can
be seen in which the artist just
stepped out of, this like most of
the shots in this video
symbolises wealth, a common
stereotype used in hip hop
videos.
Despite the apparent wealth shown here, the outfitThe Weeknd is wearing , seems
to have an urban look, shown with the black hoodie with the hood up.This
street/urban stereotype is often juxtaposed with wealth in this genre to convey the
success that hip hop , a genre originating from the streets has brought to artists.

5. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
This shot is typical of the R&B genre,
which is mostly based around sex,
therefore women are sexualised in most
R&B videos.This shot shows a close up
of a woman in a shallow depth of focus,
she seems to be taking of her top and is
looking directly into the camera in a
sexual way.The red lighting also helps
emphasise the sexual nature of the shot.
The lyrics also mirror what is happening
on screen, conforming to the narrative
clip aspect of Carlsson’s theory, saying
‘that good sex’ when this shot is shown.
This shot also conforms to Shore’s theory
that music videos often contain clichéd
images to attract a male heterosexual
audience.

6. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
This shot is a wide shot ofThe
Weeknd in focus and his ‘crew’ out of
focus in the background.These type
of shots are commonly used in Hip
Hop, as it has connotations of the
street and ‘gangs’, a stereotype
commonly used is Hip Hop. Again
this shot includes aspects of wealth
shown with the Lamborghini and
private plane, so the often seen
juxtaposition of wealth and ‘street’ is
made. The wealth is the
reinforcedThe factThe Weeknd is
the one in focus conforms to the
‘Performance’ aspect of Carlsson’s
theory.
The lyrics at this point in the video say ‘Eating all day’, this is slang used
to sayTheWeeknd makes a lot of money all day, therefore reinforcing his
wealth and making it prevalent which is common for the Hip Hop genre.

7. THEWEEKND- REMINDER
The audience can see that all artists in focus are of a black ethnicity, which is
generally the ethnicity associated with the Hip hop/ R&B genre. A black
stereotype often shown in media is crime, therefore giving Hip Hop this
stereotype as well.The stereotype in music videos is usually portrayed
through the outfits or the environment the artist is in.This stereotype is
apparent in this shot.
This shot is from a low angle, to emphasise
the dominance shown by the subjects.The
stereotype of male dominance is often
suggested in Hip Hop, this is due to artists in
this genre having the desire for Hip hop to be
dominant within the music industry, and the
lack of females in the genre help this
stereotype become more obvious.This is why
females are often sexualised in most hip hop
videos as well. The subject’s all black outfits
and the person at the front smoking connotes
a sense of crime and the ‘street’ stereotype.
Audiences that follow the hip hop/R&B genre
will recognise the standing artist as Bryson
Tiller, and this collaboration help emphasise
the joint desire for their music to dominate
the industry