Tag Archives: marco-brambilla

Dr. Dre’s ‘Kush’ Video And Other Comeback Clips

Like memorable videos from Jay-Z, Eminem and T.I., the legendary producer’s latest work heralds his return to the game. By Paul Cantor Dr. Dre Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Dr. Dre’s video for “Kush,” the lead single off Detox, hit the Net on Friday (December 10), and the clip seems to confirm the much-delayed album will be released in the near future. It’s only been a little more than a decade since the doctor dropped his last project, after all. But seeing the new video, featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon, brought to mind some other recent comeback stories in hip-hop. Here, we give you a rundown of the videos that accompanied them. Eminem, “We Made You” Released in 2009, “We Made You” was Marshall Mathers’ first solo look since his ’05 Encore album. In a sense, he picked up right where he left off, bashing celebrities and mocking the public’s love affair with pop culture. But the plan backfired, and Em left the impression that the only one obsessed with pop culture — dated pop culture, at that — was Em. As a result, his Relapse was critically panned as a comeback album; it wasn’t until this year’s Recovery that Eminem truly re-established his place in music . Jay-Z, “Show Me What You Got” Hov announced his retirement from rap as a solo artist in 2003 with The Black Album. But only three years later, he returned with a new album, Kingdom Come and a video for its lead single, “Show Me What You Got.” The Just Blaze-produced track compelled director F. Gary Gray, known for being selective about his projects, to helm the video. Filmed it in Monaco, Jay enlisted race car drivers Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr for the well-received clip. Kanye West, “Power” Inspired by director Marco Brambilla’s “Civilization” installation at New York’s Standard Hotel, the video for ‘Ye’s “Power” was dubbed “Portrait of Power.” Less a music video than a piece of moving art, the visual showed Kanye surrounded by angels and assorted religious imagery. Coming off “Taylor-gate,” its epic quality matched the brooding scope of the song and it proved to be the right approach as critics and fans alike, lapped it up. T.I., “I’m Back” T.I. had served out a yearlong prison stint, when he returned in April with “I’m Back.” The video found the Atlanta rapper getting reacquainted with his life on the outside, namely foreign cars, expensive jewelry and the ‘hood. Rapping with an American flag as the backdrop, Tip seemed to be saying, ‘I’m still a shining example of the American Dream.’ Or, perhaps it was an allusion to career plans gone awry, an American Dream deferred. The MC’s comeback has hit some speed bumps, as his No Mercy album was released this week while the rapper serves out a new 11-month prison sentence. Dr. Dre “Still D.R.E.” “Kush” isn’t the first video Dre made fans wait umpteen years for. The super-producer did the same with “Still D.R.E.,” which was the lead song from 1999’s The Chronic 2001. It had been seven years since he’d dropped The Chronic. Clearly, Dre likes to take his time. The “Still D.R.E.” clip, featuring Snoop Dogg, found the doctor celebrating low-riders, scantily clad women and, of course, gangsta music. What’s your favorite comeback video? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Dr. Dre

Read more here:
Dr. Dre’s ‘Kush’ Video And Other Comeback Clips

Kanye West Shows Off His Artwork In 2005 Video

Years before he collaborated with artist Marco Brambilla for his ‘Power’ clip, ‘Ye shared some early drawings with Sway. By Jayson Rodriguez Kanye West Photo: MTV News Throughout his career, Kanye West has displayed the soul of an artist, from his austere “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” video to the just-released “moving portrait” for “Power.” Back in August 2005, the rapper spoke with MTV News about art and even showed Sway some of his early sketches. Among the collection was a colorful drinking glass, a slow-burning cigarette and a portrait of Emmett Till. “I think I was always on some sarcastic, trying to get a rise out of people [vibe],” West explained. “I tried to get something that connects more than just the glass. So this is my take on glass.” The collection also included an anime-inspired self-portrait of the “Power” superstar and another image of a man in bed whose life had passed. “This one was really hard to draw,” he said of the latter. “It was a good experience the teacher gave us. We had to deal with perspective.” He admitted, however, the sketch — dated 1995 — was not very good. “Someone should have killed me for how bad it was,” he said. West said for his videos, artwork or graphic imaging he uses drawing “as a language.” Artist Marco Brambilla directed the “Power” clip , and the artist received ‘Ye’s translation loud and clear, both for the imagery and the rapper’s forthcoming album. “I instantly connected to the themes on the album,” Brambilla told MTV News of West’s yet-untitled next LP. “The whole idea of celebrity, the idea of power, the idea of sensuality in it, there’s sexuality in it as well, and those were all kind of themes that I’ve explored in my work before. Once I heard the album, that was what clinched it, and I felt very much in tune with the message behind the music.” What do you think of Kanye’s work as an artist? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related Artists Kanye West

More here:
Kanye West Shows Off His Artwork In 2005 Video

Kanye West’s ‘Power’ Video Is Unlike ‘Anything,’ Jason Derulo Says

‘Those videos are very interesting, actually,’ VMA-nominated singer says of West’s and Eminem’s latest clips. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Audrey Kim Jason Derulo Photo: MTV News Last week, Kanye West and Eminem released two equally powerful, albeit very different, music videos, for their singles “Power” and “Love the Way You Lie,” respectively. And while Eminem relied on some heavyweight cameos from Megan Fox, Rihanna and Dominic Monaghan to tell his story, West relied on artistic visuals , created with the help of director Marco Brambilla, for what he described as a “painting.” “Those videos are very interesting, actually,” “In My Head” singer Jason Derulo and VMA nominee told MTV News on Sunday at the Teen Choice Awards . “I watched the Kanye video and I thought that was very different to anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s not actually video. It’s almost like a moving painting. I thought that was really cool.” Derulo’s feelings on West’s “Power” mirrored that of something the rapper himself tweeted last week when the video premiered: “IT’S NOT A VIDEO . . . IT’S A PAINTING!!! So, with West’s video acting as a visual mind trip, what did Derulo think of Em’s darker, more cinematic video starring two of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces and one of pop’s most unique voices? Well, the ladies stood out the most for him. “I thought Rihanna looked great in the ‘Lie’ video,” he praised. “Megan Fox looked awesome too. Eminem always does it.” Which video left more of a mark on you, Kanye’s or Eminem’s? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Jason Derulo Kanye West

See the original post:
Kanye West’s ‘Power’ Video Is Unlike ‘Anything,’ Jason Derulo Says

Kanye West’s ‘Power’ Video: Artists Break It Down

MTV News caught up with art students, who say director Marco Brambilla is ‘pushing the envelope.’ By Rochell Thomas Kanye West Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Ram-horned guards, floating nymphs, knife-wielding attackers, water flowing upward — huh?!? If you can’t make heads or tails out of the groundbreaking “video montage” Kanye West and artist Marco Brambilla produced for West’s “Power,” relax. You’re not alone. After the clip’s Thursday premiere on MTV, Kanye tweeted : “It’s not a video … It’s a moving painting!” During his recent talks with MTV News, Brambilla described the 90-second piece , which is made of 24 layers of video, as a “visual ballet.” Others have called it a “living portrait.” A visual ballet painting? Yeah, that wasn’t good enough for us either. So we consulted people who have devoted their lives to studying, analyzing and producing art, and they’re confused too. “What stood out to me was his ridiculous big chain. I don’t know what that was all about,” photographer Gianna Leofalcon said about the six-figure, gold medallion that depicts one of the oldest Egyptian deities, Horus. “If that [chain] was real, he wouldn’t be standing up,” joked painter and illustrator Misha T. “It symbolizes power,” said graphic artist and rapper Wordspit. “Back in the day, [Egyptians] used to wear nothing but gold jewelry, and that was a sense of power with them. I feel like it symbolizes that.” Fellow graphic artist Suede Jury agreed: “The chain is larger than life. Everything about the video is larger than life.” “Yo, this dude, Marco. He’s bananas, son,” said painter Ibrahim Baaith. “And what’s cool is that he’s shooting all this and incorporating it into, like, a painting. He’s not just taking classical images and just smashing it together. He’s completely original, and I like where he and Kanye took it. He’s definitely pushing the envelope.” The problem comes when you ask which direction the envelope is being pushed. Some say it permanently raised the bar for hip-hop videos, but Leofalcon said when it comes to male/female relations, “Power” goes the same old route. “What are all the women doing below him?” she asked. “What message is that sending? We’re already dealing with inequality between men and women, particularly in hip-hop. I’m sick and tired of having a bunch of girls surrounding a man in videos in general. “I would challenge Kanye to have a woman by his side to give the message that there is equality between him and a beautiful woman,” she added. “He’s showing his position of power. He indulges in the women,” Wordspit countered. “I could understand that you want him to have a woman by his side. It probably would have looked cool. … But at the same time, Kanye is a loner. Kanye feels like he’s alone. And I think that was one of the purposes of this video — to just show that even though I’m in a position of power. I’m still mortal.” Misha T broke down the video like this: “The song is called ‘Power.’ When you’re on top, everybody’s trying to bring you down to claim that spot. He’s trying to show you this picture-perfect world where, yeah, you have goddesses surrounding you. But at the same time, you have guys trying to stab you in the back.” And that sword over his head? It’s the Sword of Damocles. Don’t even get us started on that … What did you take from Kanye’s “Power” video? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Artists Kanye West

Read more:
Kanye West’s ‘Power’ Video: Artists Break It Down

Jonas Brothers Arrive In Chicago For Tour Kickoff

‘It’s such a beautiful city. The fans here are some of the best in the world, I think,” Nick says. By Jocelyn Vena Jonas Brothers Photo: MTV News CHICAGO — While the media, celebrities and musicians are descending upon Chicago to catch acts including Lady Gaga at Lollapalooza, tons of screaming girls are also coming to the city, albeit for a different reason: to see the Jonas Brothers , along with their pal Demi Lovato , kick off their latest tour. And when the guys hit the city on Wednesday, they made a very interesting observation. “We saw the [Lollapalooza] stage yesterday as we were pulling in,” Kevin Jonas told MTV News. “I was like, no way!” So, while the crew is in Chicago, do they have any big plans for their downtime? Little brother Nick explained that while in the city, he’d liked to take in some of the local sights. “Millennium Park is always a lot of fun. On my tour back in January, I took a trip up there,” he said. “Also, just walking the riverfront is amazing. It’s such a beautiful city. The fans here are some of the best in the world, I think,” Nick said. And, as Nick so graciously added, Chicago gave the guys one big milestone. “It’s where we played our first sold-out arena show,” he recalled. “So it’s got a very special place in our hearts.” Are you planning on seeing the Jonas Brothers on tour? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Jonas Brothers

Go here to read the rest:
Jonas Brothers Arrive In Chicago For Tour Kickoff