Forms and conventions
Genre: rap/ hip/hop
Video Director: Dayo and Lil Wayne
Date Of Release: 2009
Type of video: Concept based
Conventions:
 |
| flashing jewelry, 'bling' |
 |
| Money thrown around |
 |
| tattoos |
 |
| sexually explicit scenes |
 |
| 'Gangster' wear and gestures- hold crotch |
 |
| women looking sexually provocative |
 |
| Mansion |
 |
| alcohol |
Representation:
- All of the artists in the song are portrayed as being 'players' Lil Wayne for example wakes up and finds that his bed is covered with women. He is represented in this way because it's what most rap/hip hop audiences aspire to, therefore when seeing this they would hold him at a high regard, and would inevitably want to emulate him.
- The excessive show of jewelry, money and high quality branded clothes connotes wealth and high status. The video also features establishing shots of the setting which is a mansion. This particular shot emphasis the size of the mansion making them, again, appear as wealthy which ultimately means they have a high status.
- The tattoos make the rappers appear tough and real gangsters which is a typical image enforced by rap/hip hop artists.
- Two of the artists also walk around during the video wearing nightgowns/bathrobe, this suggests that they are comfortable and living 'the good life'. Also Hugh Hefner from playboy is known for walking around his house wearing a only a bathrobe. This has connotations of being wealthy, and extremely sexually active.
- When the fridge is opened one bottle of beer is shown. This suggests they had a big party the night before, which makes then seem fun, outgoing and popular.
- Women in this video are represented as being sexual objects. They have used a lot of sexy females in this video to catch the attention of men. The women's role in the video is to prance around the artists wearing close to nothing and fight for their attention, this makes the artist look good as it shows they are capable of having many good looking girls therefore they appear as being successful. However it is degrading towards women as they are seen as being there for the males entertainment.
- However it could be argued that the female artist Nicki Minaj is portrayed as being powerful as her lyrics are about using her good looks to control men around her. She's also shown as having her own room, which looks expensive, furthermore proving she's independent.
- At some point in the video the whole Cash Money Records crew is filmed together, this implies that they a powerful crew, this could threaten other record labels.
- When this music video was released the artists featured were quite unknown so by having well established artists such as Lil Wayne also featured is a clever way of promoting the new artists signed onto the record label.
- Cash Money Records was still a relatively new record label when this music video came out. Lil Wayne, president of the label, made a point of having most of his artists featured in the song to showcase what his labels was about and who was signed onto it. All the artists from the record label are shown and mentioned in the video, this is a form of promotion as the audiences get familiarised with the names and faces. Additionally, because the artists are linked with Lil Wayne, who is very successful, audiences will automatically assume the new artists also have the same potential.
- The video was exhibited on a variety of music channels
- It got 63,353,156 on YouTube
Audiences
- Male rap/hip hop audiences can identify with the male artists in the video as the artists reinforce the stereotype.
- The video has high production values suggesting it's aimed at a mainstream audience, also because of the high production values the artists are shown as being well established therefore audiences would think their products are worth listening and watching.
- The video also features most of the artists signed onto Cash Money Records, therefore there is something there for most Rap/hip hop audiences to enjoy.
- female audiences may receive visual pleasure from looking at the male artists and vice versa for male audiences.
