[Visual Dope] Reviewing The Week In Music Videos Ending August 26

After scoping out the music videos that hit the net last week, it’s clear that the budgets for these mini movies might be a little bit larger. However, having more stacks to spend on lighting and special effects doesn’t necessarily mean that an increase in creativity is set to follow.   The week of August 20th provided a lot of visuals starring a host of big names– Mariah Carey, Usher, Lupe Fiasco, Nicki Minaj just to name a few– but were they worth watching? Follow along with me (DJ Hourglass) and Andre to see which videos are worth your time.

Videos In Review:

• Lupe Fiasco – “Bitch Bad”
• Killer Mike ft. Scar – “Untitled”
• B.o.B ft. Nicki Minaj – “Out Of My Mind”
• Mariah Carey ft. Meek Mill & Rick Ross – “Trumphant”
• Usher – “Dive”
• Fat Joe ft. Kanye West, Miguel & Roscoe Dash – “Pride And Joy”
• Trey Songz ft. Young Jeezy & Lil Wayne – “Hail Mary”
• Nicki Minaj ft. Rick Ross & Cam’Ron – “I Am Your Leader”
• Major Lazer ft. Amber (of The Dirty Projectors) – “Get Free”
• Sir Michael Rocks – “GED”

Lupe Fiasco – “Bitch Bad”

Directed by Gil Green, Lupe Fiasco provides a visual counterpart to his controversial Food & Liquor 2 single “Bitch Bad.” The album is set to hit stores on September 25th.

Andre: Lupe tends to be a little heavy handed with his tomes, and this one’s no different. Now, with a person of less skill this would come off as preachy and unsophisticated but Lupe’s verbal acuity is so brilliant he manages to raise a thoroughly average beat, rhyme scheme and concept to a different level, which is nice. But it’s still not enough to ward off the notion that Lupe thinks we’re stupid, boorish, womanizers, or enough to arrest the notion that he considers the women in the thick of our mixed-messages society to also be lacking in the realm of common sense. There is a fine line between propaganda and art, and this one leans too closely to the former.

Rating: Visual masterpiece | I’d watch it again | Shrug | Time I can’t get back | Torture

DJ Hourglass: I couldn’t disagree with you more, Dre. I don’t think that Lupe’s saying that rap music is the sole cause for all of the misdeveloped senses of self in the Black community, but he’s more interested in starting a discussion and demonstrating how easily influenced our youth can be by the less than flattering images shown in rap videos.

I didn’t think that this song needed a video, but upon watching I think that if anyone had any trouble understanding the story Lupe was telling, it’s clear now. Let’s face it. We need an extreme voice like this in Hip Hop every now and then to slap us upside the face and tell us to wake up. Lupe is just one of the few to step up and be that one.

Rating: Visual masterpiece | I’d watch it again | Shrug | Time I can’t get back | Torture

Next Page: Killer Mike rewrites history