Music Video- Micheal Jackson

Music Videos

Examples of Black, Male Music Artists:

• Drake
• DR Dre
• Snoop Dogg
• 50 Cent
• Stormzy
• Jay Z
• Tupac
• Ice Cube
• Micheal Jackson

Representations of these artist:

Gangstar 

Thug

Drugs

Loveable Rogue

Sexualisation

Comedic  

Artists That Conform These Representations:

Gangsta, Thug- Ice Cube, 50Cent, DR Dre

Sexualisation- Drake, Jason Derulo, Chris Brown

Comedic- Childish Gambino, Snoop Dogg, Will-I-AM

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MTV

Music Television 

On August 1st 1981, Music Television (MTV)  was launched

NEW YORK (CNN) -- "Pictures came and broke her heart," came the lyrics from the first song on MTV -- The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." It turns out, video now makes the radio star, thanks to that fateful day back on August 1, 1981, when music ventured into the realm of television.

In the early days of MTV, music videos became a vehicle to revive veteran rock stars like Rod Stewart and promote hot, new acts like The Stray Cats.

The first videos had small budgets and production values to match, but kids were hooked. Music videos soon became the most innovative stuff on TV. Some, like A-Ha's "Take on Me" -- which stepped between reality and the world of illustration -- set new standards in special effects and animation.

Before long, MTV was the red-hot centre of the music business. The videos sold records, and record companies began spending the money to make them slicker and more stylish.

MTV's style, hand-held cameras and quick-cut editing had its own impact on 1980s culture.

The new revolutionary format suffered an inertia of mindset with the early video-presenters reflecting the segregated tastes of American Radio – Rock was heavily promoted with no major black videos being aired in regular rotation.

At the start MTV, especially promoted American Rock and European Pop music. 

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Rick James put forward a video to MTV called 'Super Freak' in hopes to be the first black artist featured on MTV.

Rick James is hyper-sexualised throughout the video of 'Super Freak' this is evident as Rick James is seen frolicking with many white women throughout the video.As well the lyrics state "She is a kinky girl" and also "The kind you don't take home to mother". In the video, it shows Rick James going into a limousine with girls, this also has sexual connotations. The video is also hyper-sexualised by the females in the video who are seen wearing risky clothing and playing along with Rick James 

Rick James is also represented as very masculine and seen as 'a player'. Mainly due to Rick James almost flexing his muscles and being surrounded by females. 

In those times, it was difficult for Black recording artists to feature on MTV to promote or to even showcase their music. This refusal to play black music was a holdover from radio station programming, where conventional wisdom was that you would lose your white listeners if you played black music.

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Stereotypes Black Men in Popular Media

• Black sidekick of a white protagonist (secondary role)
• The token black person
• The comedic relief- Will-i-am, Snoop Dogg
• The athlete- 
• The over-sexed ladies' man,- Drake, Rick James, R-Kelly
• The absentee father or
• The violent black man as drug-dealing criminal and gangster thug- Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent

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Summary of Billie Jean

Billie Jean represents the groupies that accompanied 'The Jackson 5' during their time on tour. The Groupies were known to make up negative rumours about 'The Jackson 5' but some were true in the fact that the band did get up to no good. In the song, Michael Jackson goes on to state that the kid is not his which is repeated in the lyrics ,"But the kid is not my son". Despite the kid having the same eye colour and hair colour as Michael Jackson. He still denies and tells the world that the kid is not his son. Jackson goes on to prove that the woman accusing Jackson is clearly obsessed with him. 

Aspects of the video which create meaning

This shows Michael Jackson walking down the street and with every step he is taking the pavement is lighting up. This accentuates the fact that Michael is being quite egotistical, maybe implying that he is the light in the darkness or that he has found the light in a way. The lighting of the pavement could also strongly suggest that Michael jackson is free as such this relates to the actual back story of the song where an obsessed fan claimed she had Michael's son and by the pavement lighting up this shows that Michael is past it and is in a better light to the world. A high angle shot looking down at his feet represents that Jackson is above it all and everyone is basically by his feet, wanting attention. Promotes the idea of 'Magical Negro'.

In this shot it shows Michael Jackson almost minding his own business whilst there is a reporter lurking behind him. This represents in Michael's personal life of how maybe the media and people trying to take him down as such. This is a wide angle shot that shows the whole image. 

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Task 2

WHAT GENERAL STEREOTYPES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH Black males?  LIST 3 THINGS.

1) Violence/Aggressiveness

2) Sexualised 

3) Gang

WHAT STEREOTYPES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH Black musicians IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY? ?  LIST 3 THINGS.

1) Political

2) Drugs

3) Comedic relief 

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Representation: Cross Over artist

Compared the Rick James Video (SuperFreak) to Billie Jean, what aspects of the videos Media language make Billie Jean more “acceptable” as a cross over  video?

Billie Jean

1) Billie Jean is about a sexual encounter that did not happen 

2)Billie Jean has less sexualisation throughout the video and is almost trying to not promote so viewers and listeners can receive the message Jackson is trying to portray. 

3)Less female input throughout the video

Superfreak

1) Much more sexualised than Billie Jean as 'sex sells' and so attracts a wider range of audiences. 

2) Much more female input throughout the video and it promotes Rick James masculinity as he is seen half-naked or almost flexing his muscles to maybe get female attention.

3) Rick James is promoting his masculinity 

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15/12/17

Billie Jean is one of the most revolutionary songs in the history of popular music.
Billie Jean was groundbreaking because it introduced the idea that a single must be accompanied by a high-production video - preferably by someone who is a bit of a hoofer - thereby transforming a run-of-the-mill song release into an "event". Billie Jean transformed MTV from a mere diversion for young people into a cultural institution that society at large paid attention to. It introduced the pasty-faced number-crunchers who ran MTV to the concept that white viewers would respond enthusiastically to videos featuring a black performer

The director for Billie Jeans, the music video was Steve Barren who was chosen by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.
Steve Barren directed Human League "Don't you want me"

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Discuss aspects of the video’s (media language)  present Jackson as an American Teenage Star/Heart throb.

1)Michael Jackson is dressed quite smart and sophisticated. Which can be linked to Michael Jackson attending Prom. 

2) The dance-moves created and performed by Michael Jackson will have connotations to Teens dancing and partying. 

3) The actual song raised issues about pregnancy, which is quite a common problem that occurs for some teenagers so some people can almost relate with Michael

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Representation: Subverting the hyper-sexualised stereotype

 The certain dance moves Jackson performs can be seen as quite sexualised with his thrusting movements and extravagant moves.

Michael Jackson is also seen getting into bed with an unknown person this can strongly suggest a one night stand which is seen as a very sexual act.

However the video is not hyper-sexualised due there being no nudity and hardly any female representations within this video.

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The detective is a foil, hidden in the background, in the dark almost being shown as an opposite to Jackson. The foil is seen getting arrested whilst Michael Jackson gets away free, this suggests a counter stereotype that it is normally Black people getting arrested. Michael Jackson is also seen lighting up every where he goes oppose to the detective ,foil, who i always hidden in darkness. 

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Task 4 

Counter-stereotypes

Going against the idea that black people are aggressive and violent, instead Michael Jackson is seen giving some money to a homeless man this is quite charitable and the homeless man appreciated it. 

In this image, it shows the detective lurking behind Michael Jackson almost surveying and watching him. As well as that Michael Jackson's outfit is a counter stereotype it goes against the gangster, thug outfits that Black people are seen as often wearing.