This music video depicts the struggles of growing up in urban areas of America. It features three rappers - Wale, Meek Mill, and Rick Ross - who rap about their ambition to change their lifestyle away from selling drugs or living without basic amenities. Through scenes of a depressed woman looking out a window and groups of idle men, the video conveys themes of suffering, hardship, and lack of opportunity. Low camera angles are used to make the artists appear superior when rapping. Establishing shots set the scene and continuity editing through fades implies the passing of time as the woman's situation improves. The video aims to be relatable to its target audience through its conceptual portrayal of real life challenges.
1. Luce Tshibangu
Media Studies h/w
Task 2: Case studies (research)
(Wale- Ambition ft. Meek Mill & Rick Ross)
1- Synopsis:
A man who raps about the life people grow up in the urban
areas of America.
He also mentions how he has an ambition to change his life
style from all that he’s been through such selling drugs for
money or living in a home with no electricity.
The main artist raps alongside two other artists
They also rap about how hard it is growing up in these urban areas that’s the reasons for
why they want to better themselves with having ambition in life
There is also a performance included by all three artists within the video of them rapping,
whilst each artist is performing their part there is a narrative included which relates to what
the lyrics is about.
2- Video Type:
This music video is conceptual as it relates back to real life situations and how people grow
up in these areas; they’ve done this by shooting a scene in an urban area of America. I think
it’s been done this way to make the video more appealing to the target audience (appeal
meaningful and have people relate to it).
It could also be seen as motivation piece
3- Themes/Motifs:
Suffering/ hard life, this theme is showed by using shots of a
woman looking depressed in a typical looking urban household.
There are a few other shots of her reminiscing looking out the
window which makes the audience think that she’s jobless, no
family, and no hope. At the end of the music video the characters that are used in the
narrative are shown in a more positive way which implies that their lifestyle has changed.
In different scenes they’ve shown a group of males sitting around
which could imply that they don’t work, they don’t have a great
lifestyle as we can see from the types of clothes they are wearing.
4- Representation of artists:
The artists in this music video are young black male’s artists who
have been presented to look as though they have been brought up
in this sort of environment.
They are dressed in a way their target audience can relate to.
5- Camera angles, special effects, mis-en,scene and editing techniques:
Low angles are used when artists are rapping to show them from a different prospective and
it also makes them look more superior towards the target audience
2. Luce Tshibangu
Media Studies h/w
Establishing shots used to show the area they are in and also to give us an understanding of
the content so we can see if they relate together and how it works out.
Some shot durations are longer than each other which may mean that they are more
important or they want the target audience to focus more on that shot than the others.
Continuity editing creates realism appears rather than constructed (Fades are used in
between shots) this portrays a passing of time, this is effective because we see how the
participant (lady) changes over time from where she was which was poverty.
Singles shot used when artist is rapping by themselves and a two/three shot is used when
the chorus is on, so everyone is included this shows us that they are a group/ a sense of
unity and compassion towards the topic they are rapping about
The lighting is simply dark because of the concept of the music
6- Target audience:
Broad audience
I think the most interesting shot is of when the mom is looking out the window and contemplating
and there is a fade in-between when she changes rooms, I think that’s effective because we as the
audience know what situation she is going through by her facial expression and the setting that she
is in. by doing a close up shot of her face make it clear to us of how she may be feeling and by fading
that shot into a different setting implies that she is not financially stable. I think for my own
production I would also use the fading affect as it makes the video look realistic (a real life situation)
also add 2/3 shot to show a sense of belonging/ unity within the video.