Codes and Conventions in Hip Hop Music Videos

The genre I have chosen to analyse is Hip Hop. I have selected two music videos to help me understand the codes and conventions within this genre.



In Hip Hop music videos the location is usually set in a party, or a club with the use of alcohol shown and no narrative. The artist is usually focused on and very involved in the video, showing off their expensive jewellery with attractive women around them and close up showing off their assets, establishing shots and long shots are also used to show the location and what is going on around them. Recognised brands and clothing are occassionally shown.

I chose to analyse Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music as this is a Hip Hop video that conforms to the codes and conventions. There is no storyline to this video as it  is in a club. There is no alcohol really shown in this video, but the audience would presume there is alcohol as people who go clubbing stereotypically binge drink and get very drunk.The limelight is only on Rihanna in this video, with a  few other dancers on the dance floor who are occasionally shown. The camera focuses on her shoulders up jewellery a lot, perhaps to show that she is well off.
There are lots close ups of rihanna's face to show she is attractive and that she is the main focus in this video. Examples of establishing shots are also used to show the location of the video and the different areas of it, such as the toilet, the dancefloor and the seating area. We can see that she is dressed to go out as swe see right away that he has heels on and a dress. The artificial lighting and darkness also tells us straight away she is  in a club.







The other Hip Hop video I chose to analyse was Beyonce - Party as this video also conforms to the codes and conventions of Hip Hop videos.

There is also no storyline in this video. Straight away we can see that Beyonce is getting ready to go out, as she is cooking, getting her hair done but also all her make up is done as it shows us in close ups. We can see there is a use of alcohol as she has a cup in her hand whilst dancing with her friends. The next scene, there is an establishing shot of everyone dancing telling us its at a party. We also see another establishing shot of beyonce in a swimming pool, with everyone around her drinking from red cups, which tell us its alcohol.