Leading examples of the representation of young black men in music videos

How are young black men represented in the video to 2024 by Playboi Carti?

• The performer's lip syncing is terrible. His lips are not synced to the music, encoding an imperfect and messy performance. The performer is cool, laid back…
• The video lacks a compelling narrative, and instead shows PC hanging out with his friends. This loose narrative encodes a sense of unprofessionalism…
• The MES of the garage shop is harsh and dull. With harsh artificial lighting, a completely non flattering representation is constructed..
• However a binary opposition is constructed between the boring garage setting and the expensive MES of costume and expensive vehicles…
• The Decor of the house is white, empty and bland, clean and minimal. This emphasises the products as opposed to the personality, presenting a materialistic ideology…
• The vocals are heavily autotuned, distorting and manipulating the voice. This reinforces the emotionless nature of his vocal delivery, and presents a representation of a hegemonic black man.
• The performers are smoking next to a petrol pump, which constructs a representation of young black men as risk takers and having no fear. An irresponsible representation? The performer constantly smokes throughout the video, demonstrating a desire to be cool over any health concerns 
• The performer's costume stands out and is futuristic and noteworthy. This constructs a representation of young black men as extroverted 
• The cars are a representation of wealth and success. Clean, white, spotless, they suggest someone at the top of their game.
• The shots of the cars parked in the car park construct a materialistic representation of young black men. 
• The group demonstrates anti-social behaviour by bursting into a shop wearing hoods and eating food before buying it. This constructs a representation of black men as antisocial and threatening. 

So why is this representation of young black men so stereotypical and even borderline racist?

• Targeting audiences. Audiences expect certain conventions from rap music, and they would be disappointed without it!
• Is this video showing a performer who is unashamed to embrace a stereotype? 
• Or, is he leaning into the stereotype, playing up to it too, and living up to the expectations held by society. This process is called reappropriated

How are representations of young black men constructed in Armed and Dangerous by King Von?

• Careless and unprofessional. The costume code of the rappers chain connotes wealth and disposable income and no need to consider day to day problems
• The MES of the rappers' low slung jeans is connotative of criminality. In prison, the lack of belts necessitates low slung trousers, and stereotypically this young black man is utilising this costume code 
• The use of a prison setting, complete with the MES of a metal cage connotes the artist is trapped, and is a criminal himself. This reinforces a hegemonic stereotype of young black men 
• The black rapper is situated in the suburbs, which stereotypically is associated with middle class white people. 
• A binary opposition is constructed between King Von and the other inhabitants of the suburb. We cut from a stereotypical middle class middle aged white man in a baseball cap mowing his lawn to King Von is a tight vest and low slung jeans. Furthermore, a mid shot of a woman’s judgemental face constructs a representation of black men as dangerous and other.
• We cut to the artist standing in front of a burning drum in a car park at night. This setting is stereotypically associated with criminals, reinforcing the ideology that black men are associated with criminality 
• However, while he is uncomfortable in the suburb, the protagonist appears comfortable and powerful in a prison setting. This is reinforced through the confident gesture codes of him standing up and being threatening. This reinforces the hegemonic stereotype that to be black is to be associated with prison.
• His childhood is represented by the exaggerated MES of crack smoke billowing through his house. 

Why does this video present such a stereotypical and even racist representation of black men?

• It reflects the experience and life of the producer. 
• The video is targeting black working American audiences who have experience of the life that the producer has lived
• A music video is an advert for a song. It could present a sympathetic mode of address. Yet also, by using rap and hip hop genre conventions, it allows it to appeal to the most widespread audience possible.