Beyonce Jay Z Upgrade U

1. Video Analysis:
Beyoncé – UPGRADE U feat. JAY Z

2. Generic Codes and Conventions
Genre:
R&B/Rap
Album
B’Day
Single?
Promotional Single
(not released to
radio)
Release Year
2007
There are lots of expensive items in
the video e.g. Jewellery and cars.
She dances and moves sexually
throughout the video to sell the song.
She is portrayed as an attractive
dancer with good vocals. The song
features a rap from JAY Z and
Beyoncé imitates his part (lip syncs to
his part of the song) which subverts
conventions of an R&B female singer.
Beyoncé being feminine an
dancing feminine (herself)
Beyoncé being masculine and
portraying her husband JAY Z
The song wasn’t released as a
single however the video
gained attention for it (over 60
million views)

3. Form of Music Video
The video is
performance based.
Throughout the whole
video we see Beyoncé
dancing/moving to the
song, she is covered in
oil to made to look
attractive to the
audience.
When it comes to JAY Z’s part in the
song Beyoncé switches personalities
and lip-syncs the rap. This could be a
feminist concept e.g. She’s playing the
role of the man/ acting like a man but at
the same time being an attractive
woman. JAY Z later appears in the video
sat down to perform the rest of the rap.

4. Cinematography
The camera is always focused on
Beyoncé. At the very beginning of
the video there are many close up
shots of her face and jump-cuts to
shots of her in different
hairstyles/makeup.
Close up shots at the
beginning
Throughout the video the camera
focuses more on her and her
body.
In certain scenes the camera
tends to move around random
places which gives it an abstract
feel.
Full body shots throughout the
video

5. Relationship between sound and
image
Beyoncé is always
singing when she is
seen in the video, as
well as JAY Z. The song
title is “Upgrade U” and
the message of the
song is basically that
Beyoncé could upgrade
a man who is with her
“Partner let me upgrade you
Audemars Piguet you
Switch your neckties to purple
labels
-
Partner let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things &
Upgrade you”
The lyrics reference to expensive things e.g. Audemars Piguet watches
and Purple Label shirts. The visuals in the video link to the lyrics because
they show lots of expensive things like gold, jewellery and cars.
Beyoncé’s back-up dancers are dressed as servants e.g. Beyoncé is
rich.

6. Mise-en-scene
Beyoncé and JAY Z are
probably wearing very
expensive clothes. They
also have expensive
accessories like watches
and sunglasses.
Part of the set is water,
this could be to make
Beyoncé appear more
attractive and sell the
music.
Also there is an inside of
a very expensive leather
car (Beyoncé is seen
putting her feet on the
expensive leather, like
she has endless money
and if it get’s ruined it
won’t affect her)

7. Editing, effects and audience
Throughout the video there are lots of split-
second jump cuts that portray Beyoncé in
different ways.
The shots move in time with the music.
There are no major effects in the video,
however there is a lot of fading out which
introduces the viewer to a new scene.
The video is clearly intended to appeal to men
because of how she is portrayed attractively
however with the help of JAY Z, Beyoncé has
become a huge success globally so the video
would probably appeal to young girls mainly,
however also some young boys, who enjoy her
music.

8. Institutions and Audience
The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas.
Beyoncé is signed to Columbia, a division of
SONY MUSIC. She rose to success with the
help of her husband, JAY Z, which is why he
appears in the video. Also if you look at many
of her early singles, Jay Z appears on lots of
them (Crazy In Love, Welcome To Hollywood,
Upgrade U and Deja Vu as some examples)

9. Audience
The video is clearly intended to
appeal to men because of how she is
portrayed attractively however with
the help of JAY Z, Beyoncé has
become a huge success globally so
the video would probably appeal to
young girls mainly, however also
some young boys, who enjoy her
music.

10. Representations
Gender:
Beyoncé is proud of her body throughout the
video and isn’t afraid to show people. Although
not clear in the video, from research, Beyoncé
is very proud to be a feminist
Ethnicity:
Beyoncé and JAY Z are both from an African-
American descent and make this clear through
the genre of the music, R&B and rap.