Big Boi goes a little bit Nintendocore on the beat and Syndrome goes similarly retro with the designs here, mixing up Ben-Day dots, Zaxxonish graphics and lots of literal touches that match the wordplay. --> watch "Mama Told Me"
A key component of EDM is the swelling uplift that must come with the all night binges and wild dancing. Director Christopher Sims captures the soaring positivity of David Guetta (atop an Xbox protype?) and lets Luda and Usher deliver the hedonistic party vibe.
Rihanna continues her blistering music video pace, delivering a hypnotic, soaring clip that could almost be in competition as a Bond theme song. Director Anthony Mandler's clip hints at a film trailer for a sexy action movie no one has ever seen. Rihanna loses her grip on a tattooed arm, runs away down a nocturnal road and ends up in the midst of a violent urban uprising, all while floating away on a mysterious sea and singing about sky diamonds. --> watch "Diamonds"
Ludacris isn't new to the NSFW-lyrical game, but it is a bit striking that Kelly Rowland is riding along, giving as good as she gets in the naughtiness department. Director Chris Sims breaks convention and places the two stars as a couple, pulling us into their world of home recording, pick-up hoops and furiously fast transportation. --> watch "Representin"
Chris Marrs Piliero, director: "My initial impulse was to go in a direction that would stand apart from their previous videos and all other boy band videos as a whole. I wanted to put the boys in a narrative where they were genuinely badass throughout. I pitched them as being an Ocean's 11 type gang of dudes that are the cool anti-heros of our story. They asked me to embrace that and have them not really be good guys at all. I was more than happy to oblige." --> watch "I Found You"
Justin Bieber had the Internet all a'tizzy over a stolen laptop and the possibility that some inappropriate photos were about to leak. Well, sorry kids. It was all a ruse to set up this music video that takes the found footage concept to water park.
In that spirit, if someone stole my laptop they'd uncover countless ichat conversations about music videos with Doug Stern, like the one below.
Doug: I feel dizzy
Steve: They're apparently at a Water Park called Ragings Waters in San Dimas, CA
Ladies always love the bartender, and Nas is a wise enough man to know this. Director Jay Martin sets Mr. Jones up behind the bar at the coolest of downtown lounges with a bad-ass vintage jukebox and a collection of the most beautiful female customers imaginable. The luscious young ladies attract various, hard-charging seducers running through a variety of pick-up lines but we all know that Nas, cool and collected, will win in the end. --> watch "Cherry Wine"
