This story is part of our new Hip-Hop: ’73 Till Infinity series, a celebration of the genre’s 50th anniversary.
It’s the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and we’re here to dive into some of the deeper meanings in hit hip-hop videos! From Kendrick Lamar’s mind-boggling storytelling to Beyoncé singing about “hot sauce in her bag”, these videos are not only beautifully shot but also can touch on some important topics. Do any of these videos have special meanings to you?
Childish Gambino’s “Feels Like Summer” animated video follows Glover walking through a neighborhood where fellow celebrities are doing common weekend activities like washing their cars or playing tug-of-war. Other celebrities are doing activities that hint at some of their struggles such as Nicki Minaj fighting with Travis Scott over blocks, alluding to their beef over album sales in 2018. Each of their actions is specific to their careers and lives.
The music video for “Famous” is one of Kanye West’s most controversial videos. The video features Kanye surrounded on one large bed by lookalike figures of other celebrities such as Kim K, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, and even Bill Cosby. The video is supposed to be about Kanye’s struggle with fame and his relationships with other celebrities. He claimed that the single is called “Famous” because Taylor Swift told a friend of his that she couldn’t be mad at him for the 2009 VMAs drama, because he made her famous.
Beyoncé’s 2016 “Formation” video was the beginning of her “unapologetically Black” era. In the video, there is imagery hinting at the damage to New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina, police brutality, and the work of the Black Lives Matter Movement. She also shows appreciation for natural Black features by highlighting her daughter Blue Ivy’s afro.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” video is filled with nods to Christianity and stories in the Bible from the Last Dinner to dressing like the Pope in a white robe. The video portrays Lamar constantly being the outlier and nonconformist to the braggadocious societal status quo.
Not only did Drake use up the almost $1 million budget for the “God’s Plan” video to give back to Florida’s Miami-Dade County, in which 20 percent of its residents live in poverty, but he also put some industry beef to rest. Drake fans may remember his issues with Miami Bass 2 Live Crew’s Uncle Luke. Uncle Luke became a civil leader for the Miami community and had an issue with entertainers who would come to the county and use all of its resources, but not give back to the community. So, after years of going back and forth with Luke, in 2018 Drake decided to do some good for the people of Miami.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s 2018 “APESHIT” video was iconically shot in The Louvre in Paris, France. Each frame of the video in front of a piece of artwork hints at a significant part of the couple’s lives individually as well as together. For instance, when they held hands in front of “The Raft of Medusa”, it could be an acknowledgment of Jay-Z’s cheating on Beyoncé and nearly ruining his marriage, similar to passengers on a ship in “The Raft of Medusa” who nearly died after a shipwreck.
Childish Gambino’s “This is America” sent the world into a frenzy when it was first released in 2018. A couple of the themes of the video were police brutality and the issue of gun violence in the U.S. One of the most jarring examples in the video was a person running up and shooting members of a church choir. This situation chillingly happened in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 when white supremacist Dylann Roof walked into Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and killed nine Black people. The video is filled with other references to the dark history of this country.
In 2014 J. Cole released the video for the song “She Knows” The story follows a boy playing hooky from school and finds himself into some trouble with the police. He runs away and ends up at his home where he discovers his mom is having an affair, with J. Cole. The song is about J. Cole’s issue with infidelity and understanding that his partner probably already knows that he is cheating on her.
The video for Lil Nas X’s explosive hit “Old Town Road” follows Lil Nas on a horse, riding through an all-Black neighborhood. Everybody is confused, staring at him, and facing him off. The horse is supposed to symbolize the one thing that is keeping him moving forward. In an interview, he revealed that at the time the song was released, he was still dependent on his parents who didn’t understand or approve of his dropping out of school and pursuing music. The Old Town Road was his last hope of becoming independent.
The Migos showed some appreciation for the movie Rush Hour with the music video for “Stir Fry” in 2018. The video features kung fu, a game of Mahjong, fight scenes, and delicious food. But what is the song actually about? Making cocaine!
Doja Cat and Rico Nasty star in the nostalgic 90s-themed video for “Tia Tamera”. The ladies rap about their “twins big like Tia Tamera”, which is actually referring to their breasts! However, the real meaning of the song is overshadowed by the bright video with outfits like the twins in the sitcom and hints at specific episodes of the show.
“Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow is about the duo’s rise to fame in the rap industry despite people trying to take away their hard work to get there. The video follows Lil Nas X in prison, a reference to his getting sued by Nike for copyright infringement in 2021.
Jay-Z is turned into an animated blackface character for “The Story of O.J.” music video. In the video there are references to Black stereotypes and historical references such as picking cotton, O.J. saying he’s not Black, playing music in jazz clubs, being a house slave, and eating watermelon. The song is about no matter what labels we put on ourselves, at the end of the day we are all Black. The song also touches on financial issues in the Black community.
Biz Markie’s hilarious video for “Just a Friend” is based on a true story. A girl he tried to get to know romantically lied to him and said that the man who would answer her phone was just a friend, but he caught them kissing one day. The video is the same story!
The 2020 track “WAP” sent the world into a tizzy when first released! Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion referred to their drenched private parts in this raunchy song. The video left little room for imagination as they did splits, wore teeny thongs, and had cameos from other sexy celebs!