Pharcyde Drop- Music Video Analysis 3

The music video for “Drop”  is a concept based music video which is performed by the Hip Hop group Pharcyde. The main concept of the video is that the video is being played in reverse but with forward lyrics , to create this effect they had to record the video in reverse then play the video back in reverse which is an unconventional format for a music video which sets itself out from the rest of the music videos of the hip hop making it much more unique compared to other videos during the time period. Also the video is shot in one continuous long take which is a concept based theme.

The establishing shot is a close up of one of the artist looking up into the sky with also the view in the background, the background is an urban setting showing the area which they in which suggests that there life is more of a struggle and there hardship, but they keep up their reputation by acting tough. As an hip hop video we can already notice the conventions of a hip hop video that one of the artist is in a baseball cap and leather jacket, with other members of the group wearing baggy clothing.  The video looks set in the “hood” where they seem to be from, so they are staying true to themselves and were they were brought, the mis en scene is where we derive the typical conventions for example the tall buildings of houses, graffiti along the walls, the dirty streets tell us that there from the hood along with their clothing. But what is unconventional is that the cars are not what we expect to  see from a hip hop video, they seem rather run down and out dated. But there is no need for expensive cars as they are from the hood and you would expect to see them.

Into the middle of the video we see the group who are topless which maybe be to please female audiences, also one of the artist is wearing a chain around there neck which is another conventional feature that we expect from hip hop artists. The video subverts stereotypical representation of the genre as there are no women in the video or mentioned also there is no love interest involved too.

This music overall subverts conventions but also adheres them too, with subverting the conventional type of video as they it is performed backwards to give an unusual and different effect compare to other hip hop videos.