Constructing reality: how are stereotypical representations of POC constructed in music videos?

What reality is constructed in the video to Gucci Gang by Lil’ Pump?

• This video represents a range of different social groups. One is high school students, with the MES of rows of lockers and stereotypical classrooms, typical of a high school in America. The high school has many elements of stereotypically middle class representation. The location is clean and well maintained, and the students are well dressed and look like they have emerged from an American high school drama. 
• However a diametric opposition has been constructed between this stereotypical middle class setting, and the artist. Lil’ Pump represents a stereotypical rapper. Involved in both drug dealing and violence, Lil’ Pump represents both criminals and older teenagers
• Lil’ Pump is also a representation of a person of colour, and this representation is constructed through a series of highly leading close up shots, which connotate his personality
• His confidence and rebellious attitude is constructed through the many shots showing clutching the MES of oversized bags of cannabis. Not only is this symbolically connotative of his wealth, but also of his occupation, and he is clearly constructed as a drug dealer
• The MES of Lil’ Pump’s appearance is highly noticeable, and is constructed through the MES of bright pink hair and the shiny silver jacket. This alarming MES symbolises LP’s outgoing and arrogant personality. His mannerisms and movements are all performatively relaxed, his arrogant and excessively confident swagger mark him out as relaxed, even though he clearly represented as a criminal 
• Teachers and other authority figures are represented as having a complete lack of authority, therefore emphasising LP’s cavalier attitude towards drug dealing. The teacher’s costume, in particular her brown faded cardigan is stereotypical of old fashioned values, and contrasts violently with the costume of the students, which typically are almost aggressively colourful. 
• In this video, POC are represented as rebellious, violent criminals. However, through his sympathetic representation, LP is constructed as a likeable, edgy, and even funny character, which potentially reinforces the message that dealing and taking drugs is an acceptable lifestyle
• LPs slurred and even amateurish delivery is typical of the mumble rap subgenre, and even more importantly reinforces LP’s status as a gangster, as a threatening individual, and as someone who exists outside of the normal hegemonic rules of society 
• In reinforcing these stereotypes, this allows the video to minimise risk and maximise profit, by satisfying the expectations of the target audiences of this song

What reality is constructed in the video to 2024 by Playboi Carti?

• Playboi Carti is represented as an affluent young black American man. However, this performer is clearly flexing, and is demonstrating his wealth in an ostentatious and clearly arrogant manner.
• Rather than spending his money in a stereotypically privileged manner, and being found in locations symbolically associated with wealth, PC chooses instead to be situated at a gas station. The harsh, unpleasant artificial lighting here is anchored by the MES of bare concrete, constructing a sense of reality and normality. 
• Additionally, the setting is highly relatable, and provides a relatable mode of address. However, PC instead of purchasing gas or products instead stands with his group of black clad friends in the shop. The MES of their hoods, anchored through the gestures of their gang signs. Their very presence constructs young black men as a threating nuisance , and constructs an intimidating mode of address to the target audience. This mode of address relies heavily on a commonly held assumption of young black men, and therefore reinforces widely held stereotypes about young black men. 
• The MES of PC’s all-black costume connotes intimidation and violence. The colour black here also functions to make these individuals less identifiable, symbolic of crime. Furthermore, there is a conflation of the colour black and the ethnicity black, where both of these symbolise threat, crime and aggression. 
• PCs gestures are careless, low key, and nonchalant 
• PC’s indistinct vocal style is unique, and he was a progenitor of the mumble rap style. No t only anchoring his nonchalant ideology, something which is further reinforced through the production values of the video, which features substandard lip syncing. Constructing a representation of young black men as completely disengaged from society
• Why promote such a negative representation. Firstly: it’s cool. It’s appropriate for the genre, and it appeal to the target audience. Additionally, there is an argument that in embracing this stereotype, PC is appropriating negative representations of black people, and in doing so is reclaiming this image, and prompting a completely separate cultural ideological perspective