For my music video analysis i have choose to look at 'love the way you lie' by Eminem ft Rihanna. this song is in the same genre as the song we have choose to create for; which is rap and hip-hop. This music video premiered on august 5th 2010. American film maker Joseph kahn directed it.
This music video consists of Eminem and Rihanna singing and rapping in different locations. There are also two actors Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan who act throughout as a couple who are living together. This video explores the highs and lows of the relationship. It also shows how he is a controlling and possessive boyfriend.
Throughout this music video there is many parts when the relationship between Lyrics and Visuals becomes visible. It seems like the chorus where Rihanna sings standing outside a burning house to match the lyrics “Just going to stand here and watch you burn, well that’s alright because I like the way it hurts.” Throughout the music video it is the same for Rihanna but on each of her chorus’s there are cutaways to either flashbacks of the main characters. But for the rapping parts which Eminem raps; the video shows more Lyrics and Visuals relationships- The main one which stands out the most to me is when Eminem raps “Wait; where you going? Im leaving you, No you ain’t come back” the video shows Eminem rapping in a hay field but it in this music video it has the two actors portraying a couple and this shows them acting what Eminem just rapped but they are also saying those words aswell. Followed by this there is another moment when Eminem raps “I laid hands on her! I never stoop so low again. I guess I don’t know my own strengths!” This is when Dominic pushes Megan up to the wall and is about to hit her. In the next rap Eminem is expressing about loving someone so much it hurts and you will do anything for him or her. This scene shows Dominic hurting from Megan’s departure and him missing her. From the second rap till the end it goes from different raps and chorus’s about the relationship burning and getting back together. The visuals show this through the actors again because they are acting out the making up and getting back into a relationship.
The two artists in this song are very different because one is a rapper and one is a hip-hop singer. This effects the relationship between Music and visuals. In the opening scene with Rihanna singing the music is very calm and so are the visuals; which is of the actors sleeping in the same bed until Megan sees a woman’s number on her boyfriends hand which makes the visuals become very angry with fighting. But this is also when Eminem starts his first rap, which is quite aggressive, and this means the music and visuals are matching. The music video does stay quiet aggressive because the couple are arguing and splitting up but this only happens with the raps but when Rihanna sings her parts it does make the atmosphere mellow and calmer; during her parts there are mostly flashbacks of the couple meeting and friendlier moments.
This track looks into abusive behaviour by a man to a woman. I think the record company was trying to help relate this song to some people who have been in the same situation. This also was to relate to Rihanna’s recent attack from Chris Brown. Rihanna sings in front of a burning house throughout this video and she is much more relaxed and content, a lot of close ups are used to show her emotions on her face. She looks calm but also scared at the same time. But for Eminem there isn’t a lot of close ups but instead long shots are used to show where he is but this also shows his body language while he raps which show he is angry and quiet aggressive. Rihanna’s previous tracks with music videos are ‘rude boy’ and ‘Te amo.’ These two songs are very different because Rude Boy is a more upbeat and aggressive song but Te amo is a slow and tense song. It doesn’t seem like these two songs relate through there music videos but if she had written them about the same person. Eminem’s link between his music videos is not visible because he raps about different things. With his raps he always relates it to something that’s happened to him or he has seen. Everyone knows Eminem’s image hasn’t changed since he has started because he shows he is quiet a secretive person in the public eye because of his life style. Rihanna’s image has changed over the years; when she started out as a singer she was a pop singer and attracted a younger audience but she has changed in to an idol to some people. Being nominated as sexiest women she is shown a lot to the public. Her hair colour is something the audience loves to see change because it a sort of trend girls likes to follow. Her red hair was something people were very fond of this is something that has obviously changed between her previous two tracks because she had brown/black in those and bright red in this one.
When looking into notions of looking is it obvious the man in this video which is portrayed by Dominic is the dominant character and in charge of his woman. This is shown because he is very abusive behaviour towards her. His role is shown to be dark and mysterious and she is shown to be scared but she is also a strong character because she does fight back, she is also shows her sex appeal towards the audience because she is known for her beauty. She has used this towards her advantage.
Eminem used intertexual reference in his first rap; when he makes reference to superman and Lois lane, this is from the superman comics. Eminem raps “Im superman with the wind on my back, she Lois lane” in this part he means because things are going so well he feels like superman. This is for Dominic as superman and Megan as Lois lane; who is superman’s love interest. But when Eminem raps this part it shows the couple arguing after, this just emphasises the fact they do have good times and it isn’t always fighting. Another intertexual reference is the main actress being used is Megan Fox who is known for her acting in Transformers. Even though she isn’t mentioned in the song she is used to produce a better impact on the audience because she is also very popular and known worldwide.
This music video is narrative based but with a concept element. The narrative is about the couple breaking and making up but it is concept because it shining a light on abusive partners in relationships.
Even though this video shows a couple fighting it may mean nothing to some people like some music videos but in fact it has meaning throughout the entire song. Eminem’s raps actually about his ex wife Kim and how his life has changed since his marriage. Even though the video doesn’t show how his life was exactly it shows some. This song meant something to Rihanna because it was relating to her too because of her relationship with Chris Brown and how it changed drastically with the attack she received from him. The shot of the couple at the start is used at the end, this is to either confuse the audience by maybe thinking it was a dream but in reality it could mean if you keep forgiving it will just start all over again and nothing will get better.
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