Genre.

'Genre' is  a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience responses. This meaning we put texts into different categories based on common elements.




A clear example of a Hip-Hop video is Big Poppa by Notorious BIG.
At 0:31 Biggie is surrounded by a bunch of girls and they are sipping alcohol whilst being in a club.

This is typical of the Hip-Hop genre as most music videos are about expressing their wealth and telling the audience how they are getting female attention due to being a rapper.


Another example would be at 1:06 P-diddy and other men are shown too be betting with a lot of money in their hands.

 This again is typical of the Hip-Hop genre as they tend too flash money around to show that they have money and are well off.








SUB-GENRE

Sub-genre is a more specific category which allows the audience to identify them specifically. An example would be electronic music which is part of the dance genre.

This is obvious too tell as the flashing images of the words being said is typical of the dance genre. This has been shown at 0:28. 

Another reason why this is obvious is at 1:05 the people are shown to be cutting shapes too the music and also shuffling. These dance moves are typical of the dance genre. 

The dance moves have been associated with the dance genre. This also creates an impressionist style for the music video as it uplifts the mood and is quite relaxing.







HYBRID GENRE.

The definition of the hybrid genre is it is a combination of major genres that creates another type of genre. An example would be Afro-beats. This is a combination of Hip-Hop, Jazz, and funk.

Caro by Wizkid is an example of afro-beats. At 0:36 he is seen approaching a girl wearing flashy labels.

 This is typical of the hip-hop genre as they always express how much money they are getting and they are well off.
At 1:09 the females behind is focused on within the music video. 

Which again is typical of any Hip-Hop music video. As the female gets screen time when an aspect of her body is showing. The fact that Wizkid is watching her shows that the female is a sexual object within the music video and is not highly valued as much as Wizkid as his body is not the main focus of the music video.












GENRE CONVENTIONS.

Ja Rule ft Case living it up is a hip hop song.

Typical miss-en-scene.

The music video has been set in a urban area. At 02:46 the background is easily seen and it is New york city. Also at 3:00 the main rapper Ja Rule is shown too be in sports wear which is typical of the Hip-Hop genre.

 This conforms this statement as in a similar music video of Nelly Ride wit me. He is shown too be in a football jersey which again confirms that the males clothing usually is sports wear.

Typical types of narrative. 

This video does not contain much narrative. At the beginning at 0:23 it shows Ja rule in the car with a female and he follows her too the hotel room.

 There is a set piece which has been created is where there is a row of females in a urban setting in a swimming pool. Which is typical too be seen. This is similar too Will Smith Miami music video.  At 1:48 There is a bunch of girls stood in an urban setting.

Typical representations.

The males in the music video have been shown too be dominant. At 1:32 Ja Rule has been shown to be getting a body massage from a female however we cannot see her face. Only her body. The screen time the males receive is much longer than the females. 

The females have been highly sexualised. They have been shown too be sex objects that throw themselves at men. At 2:06 Ja Rule is surrounded by Half dressed females. 

This is typical of the genre as in most hip-hop videos the man receive a lot of female attention. Coming back to my point about screen time, at 2:13 the females body is on the screen longer than her face is shown. This can conform by the music video too want to love you by Akon and Snoop Dog.  At 0:53 the upper body of Akon and Snoop dog is shown. They are fully clothed.

 However, the females at 1:22 appear too be half dressed dancing very sexually. Their bodies appear too receive more screen time. This can also portray women as golddiggers. This is because they are surrounding the artists who are shown too be very rich and well off and all that female attention can show that they are golddiggers. 

Typical sound design.

The lyrics used in the song is very disrespectful towards women. "fuck, knowing your name, get your ass in the Range" This shows that he doesn't care about the women its very sexualised which portrays what he thinks of women. Also "To all my niggas that be livin' it up, we say" This is typical of the Hip-Hop genre as the n word is frequently used for the word "friend." Also the sexual references too women is shown throughout Hip-Hop lyrics such as Ginuwine in those jeans he says "Is there any more room for me in those jeans."

Typical editing style.

The cuts are very fast when the camera is on the women. The pace is very fast as well which matches the beat too the music. However at 1:07 the woman gets up to five seconds of screen time due to the fact her body was being shown. This is typical of the Hip-Hop genre as the women are extremely sexualised. 

Genre Themes.

Living it up is full of themes by Ja rule.

Friendship is a theme shown within this music video. At 2:22 Ja Rule has been shown too by bunch of his friends in his car. This shows his friendship and how he is still friends with the people he used to be friends with. This also shows his clique the people he hangs out with.

At 0:55 the theme of hedonism is shown. People are shown too be partying, surrounded by half dressed females and drinking expensive champagne. This shows they are living purely in pleasure. This also has been shown when he is getting a massage whilst drinking champagne.

Aspiration has also been shown, this at 0:36. Ja Rule has been shown too be sitting in his car a range rover looking at his rolex watch. This shows how he has started from the bottom and aspired too be living this rich lifestyle and now he is. This is very generic of Hip-Hop music videos.