In an period inundated with a surplus of visible content material, it takes a real visionary to interrupt by way of the noise; which is particularly vital for artists striving to go away their mark on the ever-evolving music business.
Regardless of sentiments surrounding the decline of Hip Hop, the yr has borne witness to a plethora of compelling narratives by the use of attention-grabbing music movies from the likes of Cardi B, whose “Bongos” took followers on a tropical escape alongside Megan Thee Stallion, and Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s bubble gum pink “Barbie World” explosion. Rising star That Mexican OT additionally stood out from the pack along with his icy providing for “Johnny Dang” that includes Paul Wall and Drodi — which sees a cameo from the observe’s namesake himself.
In a exceptional feat, Kendrick Lamar has secured two nominations on DX’s record for the second yr operating, with each “Rely Me Out” and “The Hillbillies” with Child Keem impressing rap followers in 2023. Elsewhere, Doja Cat caught folks’s consideration with “Paint the City Purple,” forsaking her pop prowess to confront her internal demons in a massacre of highly effective bars.
With the latter three making the minimize for HipHopDX‘s shortlist of greatest music video of the yr, you possibly can take a look at the 2023 nominees in full under.
Overview all of our Hip Hop Awards classes and nominees.
Editor’s Word: Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF 2023 NOMINATIONS
Doja Cat — “Paint the City Purple”
DIRECTED BY: NINA MCNEELY
After having her rap expertise questioned, Doja Cat proved doubters flawed by scoring the highest spot on the Billboard Scorching 100 with “Paint the City Purple” — making her the primary solo feminine to realize the accolade in 2023. With that stated, it comes as no shock that the summer time smash hit’s accompanying visible, which is crammed to the brim with demonic undertones, would show simply as spectacular. The practically five-minute clip opens with a semi-nude, bob-bearing Doja seated in a darkish room as she stares intently into the digital camera earlier than gauging her left eye out and inserting it atop a writing desk.
The scene pans to Doja braving the skies alongside her trusty companion, a horned devil-like creature as she hums lyrics like “Yeah, bitch, I stated what I stated,” and “She the satan/ She a foul lil’ bitch/ She a insurgent,” suggesting the rapper is unafraid of no matter fallout might accompany the message.
Later, wearing a crimson flooring size robe Doja cozies as much as the Grim Reaper. “I’m going to glow up yet one more time/ Belief me, I’ve magical foresight,” she spits hinting she has no intention of slowing down. In one other attention-grabbing scene, the 27-year-old dons a pair of satan horns as she dances round a cart filled with bloody, uncooked meat. Whereas the video each captivated and angered people it was a thought-provoking pivot from her pop roots that begged the query: What’s subsequent?
Drake (Feat. J. Cole) — “First Individual Shooter”
DIRECTED BY: GIBSON HAZARD
What do you get when two rappers at present on the prime of their recreation be a part of forces? A high-energy, no holds barred matchup that sees Drake and J. Cole change sentiments detailing their dominance within the rap recreation whereas highlighting their numerous abilities.
The Gibson Hazard-directed video begins with a cameo from The Workplace‘s Brian Baumgartner — performed Kevin Malone — who hilariously tackles the position of an organization CEO outsmarted by his staff who duck of right into a convention room to observe the 6 God and Dreamville boss battle it out in an intense recreation of ping pong — changing themselves with life-sized puppets.
Who’s the G.O.A.T.? Simply ask the dynamic duo who argue they’re larger than the Tremendous Bowl. “Yeah, them boys had it locked, however I knew the code/ Lot of n-ggas debatin’ my numeral/ Not the three, not the 2, I’m the U-N-O, yeah/ Numero U-N-O/ Me and Drizzy, this shit just like the Tremendous Bowl/ Man, this shit rattling close to huge because the…/ Large because the what? Large because the what? Large because the what?
Large because the Tremendous Bowl.”
Together with a play on the well-known Spider-Man meme with each Drizzy and Cole in costume and a post-apocalyptic scene that includes a bunch of males donning canine masks (a nod to the title of Drizzy’s new album, For All of the Canine) whereas parading down a darkish subway tunnel, the broadly cinematic sparring session is the collaboration we didn’t know we wanted.
Kendrick Lamar — “Rely Me Out”
DIRECTED BY: DAVE FREE
Off his newest album, Mr. Morale & the Large Steppers, the brooding “Rely Me Out” touches on the human expertise. It begins, with a piano-bound Kendrick sitting in a dimly lit room whereas pondering the numerous mysteries of life throughout a remedy session, with Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Oozing with vulnerability, the visible therapy continues with Lamar, who after contacting his therapist at 2 a.m. sits uncomfortably whereas processing a bunch of feelings, earlier than admitting that “life” has gotten him down.
Launched with a livid flicker of fast-paced photographs from the bed room to the boardroom and past, Okay. Dot takes followers on a rollercoaster of types whereas reflecting on what it feels prefer to navigate this little factor known as life, amid unearthing what’s locked deep down inside us all, all of the whereas in pursuit of happiness.
“I care an excessive amount of, wanna share an excessive amount of/ In my head an excessive amount of, I shut down too/ I ain’t there an excessive amount of, I’m a posh soul/ They layered me up, then broke me down/ And moralities mud, I lack in belief (and I’m trippin’ and fallin’)/ This time round, I belief myself/ Please all people else however myself/ All else fails, I used to be myself/ Outdone concern, outdone myself/ This yr, you higher one your self,” he spits because the digital camera within the Dave Free-directed video pans to him contained in the studio.
The simplicity of the imagery all through isn’t a distraction however reinforces Lamar’s intention to encourage viewers to take a seat and marinate on his phrases.
Kendrick Lamar & Child Keem — “The Hillbillies”
DIRECTED BY: NEAL FARMER
Not like the feels onset by Kendrick Lamar’s existential “Rely Me Out,” his Child Keem collaboration boasts a braggadocios world takeover with the dynamic duo declaring: “We gon’ fuck up the world.” Compiled from numerous residence movies, the EVILGIANE-produced observe is dropped at life as Okay. Dot and Keem (the Compton rapper’s cousin) journey the globe aboard a swanky non-public jet.
The dynamic duo, showcasing their goofy facet, are seen bottle in hand, invading metropolis streets, lodge lobbies, procuring malls, and the Dodgers Stadium whereas exchanging soccer-inspired bars about fame in addition to their interactions with girls. Additional, the video flaunts a cameo from a gold grill-bearing Tyler, The Creator who humbly plugs his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, as he flashes a button to the digital camera. The Odd Future co-founder’s occasion went down on the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles mid-November.
“The Hillbillies” is the primary providing from Kendrick and his kin since becoming a member of forces for “N95,”“Vary Brothers,”“Savior,” and the Grammy award-winning “Household Ties,” to call a number of.
Tyler, The Creator — “Sorry Not Sorry”
DIRECTED BY: TYLER, THE CREATOR
In an age the place it appears like we’re strolling on eggshells and having to tiptoe round sure subjects — aka the age of sensitivity — Tyler, The Creator delivers “Sorry Not Sorry.” Finest described as a firehose of apologies, the Grammy-winning rhymer makes an attempt to make amends for his flaws — in addition to for hiding his sexuality. “I’m f-cking sorry,” says DJ Drama within the opening seconds of the observe, the video for which options Tyler, standing in a area of hay, accompanied by a sequence of his personas from over-the years.
“Sorry to the freaks I led on/ Who thought their life was gonna change ’trigger I gave ’em head on/ However as a substitute, I sped off, yeah, I do know I’m useless flawed/ Sorry to the blokes I needed to disguise/ Sorry to the women I needed to mislead, who ain’t must know if I used to be by the lake switchin’ tides, too,” he raps over the observe with the digital camera panning to a younger lady in tears.
In what appears like an deliberately violent conclusion, a shirtless and bloody-faced Tyler pummels his outdated selves to demise along with his naked fists, additional speaking he’s ever-evolving. The observe was one in all a handful of songs launched to create buzz round Name Me If You Get Misplaced: The Property Sale, which dropped this previous spring.
Return to our Hip Hop Awards nominations web page for extra classes or take a look at the nominees for Finest Rap & Hip Hop Producers, Greatest Comebacks and Finest Rookies.
Try our earlier Music Video of the 12 months award winners.
Paintings and Graphic Design by JR Martinez.
Paragraphs written by Ruth Hawkins
