Music videos have come a long way since the early days of MTV. Today, music videos are an art form of their own. And while many of today’s music videos show off a musician’s artistry, there are a few that stand above the rest when it comes to creating something truly unique. This is why we’ve picked out three of the most innovative and novel music videos in hip hop. Read on to know more about our recommendations and why we picked them!
Drake – God’s Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpVfcZ0ZcFM&ab_channel=DrakeVEVO
Innovative concepts don’t always have to mean complicated or deep; they can be simple but still ingenious and clever. Such is the case with Drake’s 2018 hit, God’s Plan. Without context, Drake’s music video looks nothing special — just another rap video with wads of cash being thrown around. However, the cash giveaway was very real, and it was actually a series of good deeds by Drake.
In the video, he is seen footing the bill for random grocery shoppers, delivering toys to children, and even surprising a family with a brand-new car. According to CNBC’s article, Drake’s giveaway amounted to a whooping $1 million dollars — comprising the majority of their music video budget. Whether you think this is a publicity stunt or not, there’s no questioning that something like this has never been done before.
Childish Gambino – This Is America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY&ab_channel=ChildishGambinoVEVO
From a straightforward music video, we jump to Childish Gambino’s powerfully seminal music video for his song, This Is America. It is a reminder of how far you can push the boundaries when it comes to both cinematography and theme, which is mostly driven by technology. Indeed, Adorama’s collection of video cameras and video equipment prove how advanced tools have become, allowing all kinds of filmmakers to elevate their productions. Stabilizers from Filmcity and Cine lenses, for example, let users follow moving subjects and continuous takes, just like the ones seen in This Is America.
The eclectic visuals for this video shouldn’t at all be surprising considering that it was directed by Hiro Murai, who is also responsible for Donald Glover’s show Atlanta. Murai takes similar concepts from the show, such as its politically motivated symbolism and stunning cinematography to create one of the 2000’s best music videos.
Beyoncé – Already
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agCgvFTJeRs&ab_channel=Beyonc%C3%A9
Beyoncé’s inclusion on this list is a no-brainer. Her 2016 visual album Lemonade changed the game for what music videos could be, as they made use of both advance video capture technology and cinematography techniques that were often limited to the world of cinema. She managed to outdo herself even more with her latest visual album Black Is King.
The visuals for the song “Already” are particularly notable, as it shows off the high production value and artistic visual choices that make Black Is King a modern masterpiece. Kowa Cine Prominar’s range of lenses were used to give the video their distinct, vintage look and warm flare. Plus, co-director Dikayl Rimmasch also enlisted the help of diffusion filters to soften the images even more.
If you enjoyed reading this article and want to know more about the latest music videos in the hip hop scene, check out the rest of our articles on the New Video Alert section!
