I haven't done this in a minute, but here are a few videos that are just dope.
Chrisette Michele, Epiphany (Live AOL Sessions)
Seriously - this chick is major. What I like about this performance though is how the band rocks out at the end. It's a nice twist on the sparse nature of the album version. Chrisette's vocals are typically flawless.
Maxwell, Bad Habit
Maxwell is one of the few contemporary artists who approaches video as a true extension of his music. He not only tells the story of the song narratively here, but the cinematography beautifully captures the song's tone. So good to have him back.
This song is from Van Hunt's flawless 2006 sophomore album, On The Jungle Floor (best album title in decades, BTW). I like the editing of what is essentially a performance video. A nice piece to tide us over till Mr. Hunt comes back to show all the competition what a real artist does.
I just finished listening to Janelle Monae's EP a bunch of times. I kinda love it. This video works for me though. I think though that there is nothing electronic about her music (as it has been described to me), this feels very psychadelic P-Funk to me. Very Sleepy Brown. Very Cee-Lo Green. It's nice to have a sister in the mix. Oh wait - we have had Joi Gilliam for over 14 years. Silly Americans, how easily soon we forget.
Q-Tip, Gettin Up
Tip is back y'all! I tend to prefer minimalist videos a lot. They allow an artist's natural charisma and the song to grab you. That is what is at work here. So glad to have the Abstract back in the game.
Usher, Trading Places
I'm endlessly fascinated that Usher's career hangs in the balance because his legion of black female fans so vehemently hate his wife. What does that even mean? It's so crazy to me! Here I Stand is the best black pop album of the year, hands down.
That said, this video is just classic, classy ass Usher at his best. It's tasteful and sexy. And it showcases just how beautifully this man sings. That vamp at the end is breathtaking. Don't sleep because you don't like Tameka.
I'm a little mad at this video and the song because I have a feeling that Michelle will have the career that Kelly has been struggling to have. She just seems so much more comfortable in the spotlight than Kelly. I wanna hate because y'all know that Kelly is wifee, but damn Michelle is doin her thang. And let's talk for a minute about how this choreography is so much better than that bullshit tired-ass all in one place hip-hop boredom that Janet has been pimping since All For You. Notice how the dancers move around. Notice how they interact with one another. Notice how the dancing actually looks like the loose joyous kind of movement that one would do over a song about "breakin the dawn". This, ladies and gentleman, is how to run a video! Let's hope Janet wakes up from this 7-year stupor and remembers that she used to define this shit! Michelle, ma...good look!
Burntface - Fly Away
So I know nothing about this group, Burntface, other than the fact that they are a collective from Ethiopia. I just dig the song a lot and the video is such a mid-90's throwback, very reminiscent of the kinetic visual tricks that Busta used to do when he was the illest video artist in hip-hop. Check Burntface's Myspace page.
Rahsaan Patterson - Feels Good
It's actually nice to see Rahsaan do videos again. This one is just nice and simple and really allows the song to be front and center. It too has that summery laidback feel that I'm really into right now. Enjoy!
Algebra - Run and Hide
I'm just gettin into Algebra. As far as the video though, I like the bootleg Robert Palmer girls and the split screens. That's about it. It's remarkable for how unremarkable it is. I find that I remember the video and the feel of it more so than any of these videos. Strange.
Usher - Movin Mountains (live)
Technically, not a video. I know. Follow me though...
What I like about this video is that it shows what makes Usher the premier artist of his generation (rivaled only by Aaliyah and Brandy but that's another blog for another time, kids). This is just pure showmanship, a gorgeous vocal (the backgrounds are nice too, despite some mic issues) and, most importantly, the ability to reinterpret a song for a live context. This is too often forgotten in the mad dash to ensure that everyone in the audience can just sing along. I don't know if Here I Stand will be as good as it should be, but this song is the latest in a long line of perfect Usher mid-tempos.
Calvin is one of those brothas who should be a huge star. His voice is heaven sent and he's so very very pretty! That said, this video is notable for its simplicity. Calvin and his voice are front and center and I dig that.
SugaRushBeat Company, L.O.V.E.
SugaRushBeat Company is a group headed by Rahsaan Patterson, who happens to be my favorite singer. This group is a bit funkier than Rahsaan's solo stuff. I love this video because it captures the slightly psychodelic feel of the song.
Ne-Yo, Closer
Ne-Yo's new ditty is a nice MJ-lite song that let's him unleash a bit of his inner disco queen. The song itself is a bit muted vocally, but the video elevates it beautifully. The choreography is dynamic, Ne-Yo exhibits a newfound confidence and a hint of swagger, and the cinematography is stupendous. It's easily the best video currently out.
