Jay z – ’99 problems’

Jay-Z – ’99 Problems’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwoM5fLITfk

Genre characteristics- Hip hop

-Outfits (Scruffy 'Gangsta' look)-Gangs-Police

-Fighting-Half naked women (Prostitute

lookalikes)-Street dance

-Violence-Urban setting (Brooklyn, NY. Run-

down neighbourhood)-Stereotypical (White Police officer, a white man in a suit, black people are

in jail/on the streets)-Shooting at the end, reflects image

of gangster cool.

Lyrics and visuals-The song is about being a gangster life style. The video images illustrate

this.-Synchronous relationship through the

song, images reflect the lyrics sometimes specially/literally e.g 'God'

- image of crucifix, 'Bitch' - women/dogs. etc.

- Story about getting pulled over by police is literally illustrated through

the visuals show some of the 99 problems.

- 'From the hood' Jay-Z pulls hood down. 

Music and visuals

-Camera movements are Jerky and constant which matches the rise and fall of the beat.

-Cuts are in sync with the bass, especially at the beginning.-Lots of cuts and many different images make it hard to see

everything on first view, similar to the song, which is also dense with themes imagery narratives.

Demands of the record label

-Lots of low angles and close up shots of Jay Z makes him appear powerful desirable image to promote within

the hip-hop industry.-Fewer shots of him than you might

expect - seems like he is being modest or that he's the top do/elusive on the streets. Also, reflects fact that

he is a well established artist and doesn't need his face all over the

video.

Notions of looking/voyeurism

-Looking at the police in the wing mirror 

-Various shots of women which are very sexualised

-Looking through bars into the prison-Video of Jay-Z outside subway station-Looking through fingers a lot of the

time-X-ray vision shot through the boot of

the car.

Inter textual reference- Jay-Z getting shot at the end can associate with any action movie.