The Notorious B.I.G: The Sky’s The Limit

Codes and Conventions used in this Video: Hip-Hop Music Video

A Narrative/Story

A Performer/The

Artist Slow Motion

Shots

Rapping about success

Powerful and

Authoritative

person

Mansion

Tracking Shot (Editing)

Gold Expensive

Jewellery

A Concept

Expensive Car

Angry/’Tough’

Facial Expression

Microphone whilst performing

Low Angle Shots

Construction/Content

Through the lyrics of the song heard in the video, it is evident that the artist is discussing his life and progression from poverty to success through the medium of the artist as a child. The other children in the video are his friends, fans and mistresses who all play a role in representing the aspects of the successful part of his life (the rich present opposed to the poor past). The concept of children playing the role of the artist and his friends, fans and mistresses may connect to the dominant representation of children being boastful, which is shown in this video with the children enjoying a luxurious rich lifestyle, whereby the majority of the video is set where rich objects are exposed. The notion of revealing the journey from poverty to wealth is commonly seen in Hip-Hop videos, as it used as a sign of justification of their success. However, the concept of this music video is unconventional, putting this music video apart from other Hip-Hop videos.

Wide shot of Child version of artist in luxurious Jacuzzi with girls dancing around him

Camera WorkThe video begins with an establishing shot of a mansion. This represents wealth and superiority, and may even indicate success as a mansion is used by people of a higher class, who are rich and have professions that make them successful business wise. The establishing shot also allows the audience to place their opinion on the artist status wise, before even seeing or knowing about their status, wealth and success. This is a theme seen a lot in the Hip-Hop genre, as artists coming from this genre conventionally like to boast and brag about their wealth and success in their songs/videos, therefore the video adheres to the conventions of the musical genre through this establishing shot.

There is a close- up of the child version of the artist. This shot indicates an almost in depth interrogation of the person. However, as the child version of the artist is moving towards the camera instead of the camera moving towards him, this almost looks as if he is looking into a mirror, enjoying the attention. This links and once again adheres to the conventions of the Hip-Hop genre, of the artists being confident and vain, whereby they commonly talk about their success as a sign of portraying that they are self-confident.

Establishing shot of mansion

Close up of child version of the artist

Editing

There are many straight cuts that last for around 5 seconds, which shows that the video has many cuts that are at a steady pace. This links to the video adhering to the Hip-Hop genre, as the straight cuts gives off the impression that this lavish lifestyle is the artist’s everyday lifestyle, in comparison to having jarred quick shots that would suggest that there are not steady and not familiar with the lavish lifestyle.

A medium shot of the child dancing A medium long shot of the child version of artist rapping (performing)

Mise-en-scene

The artist’s posture suggests that he is boastful with his success, fame and wealth. The fact that the dogs follow his as he walks to the door with his arms open implies that the artist’s presence is alarming and intimidating, which is a common personality trait seen in music videos of rappers in the Hip-Hop genre, therefore adhering to the conventions of the musical genre.

The video begins with the expensive car being shown, immediately telling the audience that the artist is of a wealthy status and enjoys being brandish in regards to his riches. There is also green lighting in this shot, implying the trait of envy, suggesting that the artist almost wants and feels as if individuals are envious of his high status and wealth. This again is a theme seen in Hip Hop music videos and songs.

The lighting in the first half of the video is of gold lighting, which allows the audience to be constantly reminded of his grand success and wealth, as gold connotes affluence.

Wide shot of expensive car

Wide shot of child version of artist showcasing home

Wide shot of child servants

RepresentationsIn this image, there is a clear division between dominant representations of genders. The girl in the image is signified as an object and inferior to the male in this image through her positioning and by being scantily clad. This is commonly seen in Hip-Hop videos whereby the man is normally the artist, and is seen as the ‘leader’, whereas the female is seen as a sex object, whereby males and females are positioned on opposite sides of a spectrum (which adheres to the Feminism theory). Furthermore, the fact that the male artist is in the foreground whereas the female is in the background adheres to this notion.

The low angle shot allows the audience to be intimidated and feel inferior to the artist, and therefore represents him as a male of a high status and superior, adhering to the dominant representation of men being the breadwinners in society, a common representation also seen in Hip-Hop videos.

Medium long shot of child version of artist performing with a child mistress on his

left

Low angle shot of child version of artist and his best friend in the foreground, with other friends in the

background

Is the video a performance, narrative or conceptual video? Is it a hybrid? Explain your answer.

I believe that this music video is a hybrid of all three modes of music videos (Narrative, Performance and Conceptual). Arguably, I believe that the conceptual aspect of the music video is emphasized in the music video more than the narrative and performance aspect of the music video as the fact that the artists’ are children would attract the audience more than the generic performing and narrative in Hip-Hop music videos, as it is a diversion from the norm in Hip-Hop music videos.

The performance aspect of this music video is shown by the child-like version of the artist rapping directly towards the camera in some scenes in the music video, which is conventionally seen in Hip-Hop music videos.

The narrative feature of this music video is the story of the child-like version of the artist and his friends enjoying the expensive lifestyle, whereby he has a performance in the evening. As the luxurious theme is seen a lot in Hip-Hop music videos, the fact that the narrative is based on this reinforces that the music video adheres to the Hip-Hop genre.

The conceptual side of the music video is based on all the artist’s friends and fans and himself being children. This coheres with the song of the title, ‘The Sky’s The Limit’ which is shown through little children being able to be rich and successful, however, this is the only side of the music video that slightly subverts the conventions in a hip-hop music video.

Medium close-up of child version of artist rapping

High angle shot of best friend of artist getting served by child

servants Medium shot of child backing singers