By: Daniel Hodgman
It’s easy to get caught in the music of an artist and let the overwhelming qualities engulf your soul. For the most part, the appeal comes from the music. But what about the music video? Isn’t a music video just as intriguing as the single itself? Not only are you getting the song, but you’re getting a blend of visuals that move hand-in-hand with the tunes. This is an ode to the music video, an overlooked piece in any musical genre.
Here is the first installment of hip-hop videos that transcend the norm:
Camp Lo- “Luchini”
An ode to the movie Dead Presidents? THANK YOU.
Ice Cube- “It Was a Good Day”
Ice Cube perfectly portrayed a “good day” lyrically that many thought the music video wouldn’t hold up to the song, but in typical Cube fashion disappointment was nowhere to be seen. The impressive feature about this video is that it quite literally goes hand-in-hand with everything Cube raps about. In fact, the song and video are so detailed that this dude pin-pointed the exact date Ice Cube is talking about. January 20, 1992 is officially National Good Day Day.
Kanye West- “Flashing Lights (feat. Dwele)
The video for “Flashing Lights” plays out like an O. Henry story; it’s a short, it’s sweet and there’s a bit of a twist at the end. By the 1:45 mark you start to realize everything, but it isn’t until the 2:10 mark when you fully see where things are headed. This is the best kind of simplicity.
Madvillain- “All Caps”
I love comics and hip-hop and there’s no way I wasn’t including this.
Rahzel- “All I Know”
Sometimes some good digital editing, hilarity and gross cut-scenes make a great music video. Also: shout out to anyone who played NBA Live 2000 (go Timmy D).
The Roots- “The Next Movement”
The song’s flow is like water and the video is gritty and architectural. As The Roots go through various positions and set-ups, they don’t seem to even notice it. One of the more innovative music videos in all of hip-hop.
Tyler, The Creator- “Yonkers”
I’m pretty sure the first time you all watched this video you thought it was genius, because it is. For a group of teenagers (at the time), this video features first-class editing and cinematography from a music video standpoint. There’s a reason why this is just under 60 million views on Youtube…
Wu-Tang Clan- “Triumph”
No explanation needed.
Bonus Cut 