The Top 5 Hip Hop Music Videos of All Time
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In this blog post, we’ll be counting down the top 5 hip hop music videos of all time. From Kendrick Lamar to Outkast, these videos are sure to get your head nodding and your feet tapping. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
“In Da Club” by 50 Cent
“In Da Club” is a song performed by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003). The song was written by 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Mike Elizondo, and produced by Dr. Dre with co-production credit from Elizondo. Released as the album’s lead single in January 2003, “In Da Club” peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 50 Cent’s first US number-one single. It spent nine weeks atop the Billboard chart and remains one of the most successful hip-hop songs of all time, selling over five million copies in the United States alone. “In Da Club” received positive reviews from critics and is regarded as one of 50 Cent’s best songs.
The accompanying music video for “In Da Club” was directed by Jessy Terrero and features 50 Cent partying in a nightclub with appearances from fellow rappers Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Olivia. The video won Best Rap Video at 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
“Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z
“Crazy in Love” is a song by American singer Beyoncé featuring American rapper Jay-Z. The song was released as the lead single from Beyoncé’s debut solo album Dangerously in Love (2003). It peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became Beyoncé’s first number-one single as a solo artist, as well as her first song to top the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
The song won three Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. “Crazy in Love” peaked at number one on various international charts, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and New Zealand.
The music video for “Crazy in Love”, directed by Jake Nava, featured Beyoncé in various fleetingly lingerie-clad shots interspersed with scenes of Jay-Z rapping. The video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video and the BET Award for Best Video. At the 46th Grammy Awards, “Crazy in Love”, along with its accompanying album Dangerously in Love andBeyoncé’s performance of it at the 47th Super Bowl halftime show, won four awards.
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” is not only one of the best hip hop music videos of all time, but also one of the best music videos period. The video is a perfect accompaniment to the song, telling the story of Eminem’s character in 8 Mile as he struggles to make it in the rap world. The video is incredibly well-shot and edited, and features some amazing performances by Eminem himself.
“Runaway” by Kanye West ft. Pusha T
“Runaway” is a song by American rapper and producer Kanye West, released as the second single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). The song features American rapper Pusha T, who is signed to West’s label GOOD Music. The track was produced by West, with co-production from Jeff Bhasker. “Runaway” originally featured different lyrics by Pusha T that he later scrapped in favor of West’s reworked lyrics. It is a hip hop song that incorporates elements of sampled sounds and spoken word poetry. Lyrically, the song reflects on West’s failed relationships and examines their causes.
West premiered “Runaway” at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010. The music video was directed by American film director Hype Williams. The video features a masked ball with performances by West and Pusha T, and footage of models listed as girls who have “run away”. “Runaway” won two awards at the 2011 Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. In writing for Chicago Tribune, Rick Korchinski called it one of West’s best songs, while Spin writer Josh Modell described it as his favorite track from the album.
“Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj
The music video for “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj was released on August 19, 2014 and quickly went viral, due in large part to its provocative and sexualized imagery. The video, which features Minaj performing various sexually suggestive dance moves, has been praised by some as empowering and liberating, while others have criticized it as sexist and degrading. Either way, there’s no denying that the video is one of the most talked-about and controversial hip hop videos of all time.
