The art of masterfully tying a music video to a single has been repeated since the format appeared. The results are often wonderful; a perfect visual accompaniment that heightens the listener’s liking for that song and provides a peek into its mood-board. Perfect music video examples would be Michael Jackson’s numerous videos, Chemical Brothers’ Star Guitar, REM’s Imitation of Life, Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice or Kendrick Lamar’s Alright, just to mention a few.
The newest video from the Hollywood trio who have returned to their original hip hop roots with their new album, Masters Of The Sun Vol.1 is nothing short of spectacular. As for their album, it’s for hip hop heads worldwide, if you can forgive them for sleeping with EDM.
In the B/W music video for New Wave, Black Eyed Peas present a noir style that pays homage to jazz-funk. The drum pattern is reminiscent of James Brown’s drummer the late Clyde Stubblefield. The graphics that appear a few times in the video imitates a Blue Note Records-style album cover – Think John Coltrane, Theolonius Monk, Quincy Jones, Count Basie etc.
The setting in which BEP performs is a vintage bar with couple sat at tables, they call these bars ‘jook joints’ but that’s a story for another day. There are shots of an afro-haired mute-horns player playing an infectious note which I cannot but credit as an allusion to the legendary Miles Davis.
The female vocals laced within gives a nod to jazz vocalists like Nina, Dinah or Ella. Despite having some 808 kick drums fused onto traditional hip hop beat, the song comes off smooth as the lyrics hint to the renaissance of proper hip hop and the visual treat just elevates the feel of the track.
Like the Beastie Boys’ sample that comes on the chorus – “It’s the new style!”
