[THIS VIDEO IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART]
The above video is extremely graphic and violent. The blood and the antics are extremely off-putting as well. However, I think this video is a good example of violence and its perverse relationship with fun. These guys look like they're having a lot of fun although it is deranged and painful. The "violence as fun" theme runs through a lot of visual media-movies, tv shows, commercials, webisodes come to mind. This form of physical violence as fun as presented in the "Earl" video although extreme is something that many young boys engage in. The extreme violence of movies from Tarantino's childhood created enough of an impression on him that he would later pay homage to them with movies like Kill Bill. With the increasing exposure of OFWGKTA (the group Earl Sweatshirt is in. They are the guys running around with him) this youthful "violence as fun" notion is making its presence known in the rap world.
This was a sick video. Cool visuals and the camera-work (albeit amateur) displayed a great sense of exactly what these kids wanted to convey. There was not an overwhelming amount of violence in this video but some of the scenes are incredibly pain-filled. I mean that one kid tears off his own fingernail... very scary stuff. Pretty cool take on the fun in the video though because it just starts off with a bunch of kids just hanging out having a good time until they make that drink. Overall cool video and pretty sick lyrics too.
ReplyDeleteI like how most of the youtube comments ask “is it real?” OFWGKTA (lulwut?) made a video that did exactly what it was supposed to do: shock and awe. By its disgusting nature, the music video forces its audience to look down on the crew who abuse drugs through admirable stupidity. A Cocaine, Listerine, and marijuana smoothy, O Boy!
ReplyDeleteBy using the fish-eye lens, the video is filmed as a hyperbolic skateboarder video, a demographic sometimes associated with drug use. Perhaps OFWGKTA intended to mock the skateboarder genre that is popular in LA.
Beyond that I have no idea what to draw from this outrageous video.
I would say this video was more gore than violence. I think lyrically its really impressive. But I really hope that hip hop and rap isnt headed in the direction the video takes it in. One of the comments was that these guys are the second coming of the real hip hop and I will agree with that when considering their music. Im not really sure what the driving force is behind the video but to me it seems pretty dumb. but again, lyrics are ill; good flow
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