Music Video Analysis, My choice

Gnarls Barkly Crazy

Genre Characteristics 

The genre for this piece is called Neo-soul, alternative hip hop. Neo-soul is a term that was used during the late 1990's to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contemporary R&B, this was heavily based on soul music with incorporated elements ranging from jazz, funk and hip hop to pop, fusion and African music. However alternative hip hop which is also known as alternative rap is a sub genre of hip hop music. Alternative rap refers to hip hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the stereotypes of rap, such as gangs-ta, bass, hardcore and party rap. Instead they blur genres drawing equally from funk and rock as well as jazz, soul, reggae and even folk. Within this video we can defiantly see these genres come though very potent especially the alternative hip hop.

Lyrics and Visuals

When the lyrics read 'But it wasn't because I didn't know enough' we see a blob bulging and then spiders running out, this can visualize two things, one that the blob is like a brain exploding from too much knowledge and the spiders represent the nothingness that engulfs the brain.

The whole video itself is an essence of the title 'crazy' the way that the video has been made reminds me of when you are tested for insanity and they show you picture of shapes and blobs stuck together and you have to say what you think it looks like.

When the lyrics read 'To loose their lives out on a limb' we see the shapes of two guns appear and shots being fired, this shows death and it symbolises the lyric 'Loose their lives'.

Music and Visuals

At the beginning of the song the their are four clear beats which we seen ink splash onto the screen in synch with then on the last beat the music starts and the image pops up on the screen ready to get on with the song.

The flow of change of the images go with the flow of the music, of the music is slow them the images are very subtle and mellow however once it picks up again the images instantly become more violent and quick.

The large and small black ink stain at the bottom of the screen are still following the distinct beat of the music which gives it an extra variety to it.

When the lyrics read 'who do you, who do you, who do you think you are' we see two images of Barkly facing each other and taking it in turns to say 'Who do you' which creates a sense of confusion and also as if he is arguing with himself as to who is really is.

The as the line reads 'Ha ha ha bless your soul' we see the two heads of Barkly combine with devil horns on his head and he laughs to the tone of the lyric and the music.

Demands of the Record Label

He used Warner Music and Downton Records, so being big labels they would have wanted something new and that has not been done. Especially as Barkley was a recent artist who was new to the charts they wanted him to make and impression so that they would also earn more money and reputation.