The importance of music videos has waned a little over the years. But at one point they were a staple in the music industry. How far a single went on the charts was largely based on the music video which accompanied it. Elements derived from some of the most famous music videos of all time, are still present in today’s music.
Videos by According2HipHop
Lets take a look at some of the most iconic music videos of all time
NWA – Straight Outta Compton (1988)
To say that NWA burst onto the rap scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s would be an understatement. Always pushing the envelope of societal norms, the rap group often gave listeners a look into the dark-side of hip-hop. NWA cultivated gangster rap. The video to their 1988 hit “Straight Outta Compton” gave viewers a look into police brutality, turf wars, and violence. All elements that had become a norm in their upbringing.
Missy Elliot – Work It (2002)
Famed female emcee, Missy Elliot was known for doing things outside of the ordinary. And as one might expect her music videos were no different. From the baggy clothes, to the flamboyant hair, to the extravagant dance moves, everything that Missy did was an event. All of these aforementioned elements were displayed in her 2002 “Work It” video off of her “Under Construction” album. Check it out below:
Biggie Smalls – Big Poppa (1994)
Biggie Smalls broke the mold on hip hop when he signed to Bad Boy records in the 1990s. After the NWA, Straight Outta Compton era, everything was about gangster rap and violence. But Smalls introduced a new genre where hip-hop became synymous with luxury. Biggie’s “Big Poppa” music video that was released in 1994 gave viewers a look into the luxurious lifestyle that came with being a rapper. The champagne, the money, and the beautiful women in the music video were a chef’s kiss to an already iconic track.
Nelly- Tip Drill (20030
The hip-hop scene in the early 2000s left very little to the imagination. Everything was largely based on sexuality following the Freaknik era. When raunchy St. Louis- based artist Nelly burst onto the scene he took that that to another level. The video for his 2003 hit “Tip Drill” took things to another level. The music video featured women in scantily clad outfits, twerking poolside. Nelly even infamously swiped his credit card down one of the video vixen’s butt cheeks. The video was so x-rated that it did not even air during the day.
