Music video AnalysisDMX - Where The Hood At

Eminem - Not Afraid

Conventions usedDMX, ‘Where the hood at?’ uses typical gangster Hip Hop conventions. This music video mainly focuses on gangs within the hood and prison hence the name ‘’ Where the hood at’’. The video contains a lot of low angles, high angles and close-ups, which are typical in a HipHop music video.

From the start of the music video we see large amount of African American males standing together as one in prison uniforms, showing hand gestures. Therefore conveying the idea that they are gangsters in prison.Also the artist is in front of the whole crowd indicating that he's the leader of the gang hence his positioning within the crowd;with everyone behind him.This music video is shot in 2 locations, the prison and the streets. However in both of the locations we can tell that this video is trying to convey the idea of gangs, hence the use of cars, aggressive dogs and jewellery, presenting them in a neighbourhood manner (hood). Therefore the whole music video is trying to present the brotherhood in the hood even though their lives are based on gang life. Both of the locations are using large crowds to present the ‘’Hood’’ and convey the idea of neighbourhood within America, with the help of flashy cars and jewellery, which is typical for a Gangster Hip Hop music video.

Eminem - The whole music video is captured on the rooftop and in the streets of a large city which either indicate being on top or suicidal. The whole music video contains variation of low/high angles and close-ups. The majority of close-ups used within this music video are used to show Eminem’s emotions which are conveyed through his facial expressions. The fact that the close-ups are not used to present the artist;in a rich manner or criminal manner makes this music video unusual. As majority of HipHop music videos only use close-ups to show money or jewellery, but in this case its emotions of the artist. The fact that we constantly get close-ups of Eminem’s eyes indicates he's ‘Not Afraid’ which can link to his drug addiction and rehabilitation. Eminem is dressed in everyday casual clothing, which is usually the case in majority of HipHop music videos. This is because most HipHop artists are dressed in casual clothing but with nice fancy jewellery to show they are rich, however Eminem in this video does not contain any ‘typical’ HipHop genre conventions.

Camera Work Long Shot

Birds Eye View, Aerial

Close-up

Low Angle

Mid Shot

Tracking Shot

Extreme Close-Up

Mid Shot Pan Shot

Close- Up Tracking Shot

Extreme Close-Up

Zoom

Both artists use variation of angles and camera work.

Editing Not Afraid- In this video the pace is fast, it cuts from one shot to the other. Also, the camera is constantly within the scene therefore the audience get to feel like they are walking with Eminem through his journey. = Constantly following Eminem.

Where the hood at- quick cuts from one scene to the other. Moves from performance of the artist to some type of image linked with the ‘Hood’, through fast switching.

NarrativeWhere the hood at- The narrative just shows prison life compared with hood life. This music video is trying to show the difference between being in prison and having a normal life highlighting all the Morals of normal African culture compared with prison life. Overall the whole music video is trying to show how the criminal life differs with the normal life which causes people to become immoral.

Prison life Normal life

The narrative is trying to show us Eminem’s journey into being who he is. He's firstly on a rooftop and suddenly closer to the middle he jumps down into something like a crater which can be linked to hell however at the end he flies back up into the sky showing that he transformed his life into better and got back to the top hence the lyrics ‘get my life together back now’ showing he went back to the top.

Performance, Media Language, Representation

Lots of dancing and hand flinging throughout the whole music video. This indicates gang life throughout their lives both in prison and out of prison. Majority of times when it comes to performance we get the artist with his crew rapping together.

The artists is constantly wearing oversized clothing linked with gangsters and prison life. For majority of the time we see everyone both the artists and the dancers wearing similar clothing with expensive jewellery and cars in the background highlighting their similarities.

Gang life and neighbourhood = the music video is trying to present African American life in a neighbourhood manner compared with prison life which causes people to be mad. In general the music video is trying to show that prison life ruins people, which causes them to forget about the neighbourhood life they had before prison life. Which links to the title of the song 'Where the hood at?' at the prison. Showing that crime life changes people a lot.

Performance

Media Language

Representation

Eminem singing to the camera like he’s speaking to the audience therefore looking into the camera pointing his hands at us for us to follow as we are his fans. In general his performance is created so it looks like Eminem is speaking to us about his life and how he can help us with our lives. = linking for us to follow him in his journey.

Performance

The media language is highlighted by what Eminem is wearing at the start of the music video. Eminem is wearing all black outfits therefore he himself in a dark manner hence suicidal, linked to the rooftop. However at the end we see him in white indicating he became ‘pure’ and got his life back.

Media Language

The whole music video is trying to represent Eminem’s life how it changed from being dark into good. First he starts of on a roof being suicidal and suddenly his flying in the air like an angel which highlights his recovery from addiction.

Representation

Institutions and Ideologies Eminem - Shady Record

Dmx

Values used within this music video is probably African American life within the ‘hood’ and representing how they differ hence the title ‘where the hood at’. Therefore the song is trying to show how prison changes people hence the whole rhetorical question to the audience.

Ideologies

Ideologies

The values and ideologies within this music video is Eminem’s hard life.The music video is trying to tell us the audience that even though your life might be hard and miserable you can pick yourself up. Therefore Eminem starts of suicidal and ends up being high up in the air shadowing our lives.