JB: Analysis of a Promo Package: 'Ready or Not' - The Fugees

The Fugees - Ready or Not

The Fugees 'Ready or Not' video helped many usher the notion of bank-breaking, movie-like Hip Hop music videos. This music video used helicopters, explosions, sharks, chase scenes, and a price tag of 1.3 million dollars, emphasising the extraordinary factor of the production. In justifying the price tag of the music video, Pras told 'Vibe' - 'People wanna see drama man, You figure: A kid pays $16 for your CD let him see a good video as well.'

• At a time of an emerging new subculture of hip hop, a female rapper would have been very unconventional as Hip Hop was stereotypically a very masculine and male dominated genre. Therefore, the fact that character blocking, of the female character positioned higher in the image than the other males is very unconventional and a large step forward for the progression of equality in genre as a whole. 
• The fact that none of the artists are looking at the camera signifies a factor of extraordinarily connoting that the artists are almost too good for their audience, this is partly why 'The Fugee's' have such a sensationalised aura to their name.
• A black contrasting background makes the artists, even though they are black themselves stand out against the background emphasising again the extraordinary nature of their success. This could be interpreted that although they are essentially 'rappers from the hood', they have evidently 'broken the trend' and made it, which is obvious by the expressions on their faces as they are made to look invincible with the artist on his left example, as his chin is help high in the air and is almost looking down his nose to emphasise his authority. This is significant when analysing the background because literally, the image shows black individuals, standing out against a black background which could be an implication of society, with the black background signifying all the other black youths from the 'hood'.
• The stance of the artist on the left, however, could also be implied as peaceful and ordinary. Whilst he does look as if he is looking down his nose, he could also be implied as 'feeling the music' as he looks relaxed and emotive. This connotes the genre of music as a peaceful and deep Hip Hop sub-genre. As well as expressing the fact that although they are famous now they are still in love with music showing the ordinary factors are still contributing heavily to their work which is therefore creating para-social intimacy.

• This music video is as the above image shows, about the 'Quest for Justice' and 'Battle against intolerance', the description of this video therefore connotes 'The Fugee's' as the 'good guys' although it seems and that they are considerably the underdogs as in the music video they are on the run from helicopters and guns. Due to visceral pleasure we as an audience are sided with the artists as we are rooting for the underdogs, again creating verisimilitude as we want the underdogs to beat the odds and come out on top.

• Emotion is created strongly through the relationship between the lyrics and the video to create synaesthesia. On of the deepest lyrics of the song is sided with the above image as the line says 'A born again hooligan only to be king again'. The image above shows the lip syncing with the song which creates a sense of para-social intimacy as he is clearly the star, however, the artist does not break the fourth wall by looking at the camera. In this sense an air is created which implies he means what he says and truly believes it, I believe that by not looking at the camera when singing this line it implies the fact that nothing will distract his from his goal and that being famous wont and cant phase his showing how strong he is as an individual, again creating an extraordinary sense of para-social intimacy. The title of the track 'Ready or Not' connotes the artists are ready and awaiting the ambush of attacks and they are confident that they will once again come out on top.

• This screenshot again implies a strong degree of para-social intimacy. the characters shown running away from the oncoming fire of bullets imply overcoming and beating the odds, however, by also creating visceral pleasure as the characters are obviously in great amounts of danger. This screenshot can therefore be used as a metaphor for 'The Fugee's' actual rise to fame. By growing up in the 'hood' which rappers often denote as nearly impossible to escape from, 'The Fugees' themselves must have had what is implied from the video as an impossible task to rise to become what they wanted to be in an unconventional rap group.

• The above images show a contrast between the ordinary and extraordinary paradox of this video. The top image shows a single jet ski attempting to escape from a number of helicopters in a high speed and intense chase. However, the contrasting below image shows a vulnerable man in a prison cell being jumped and manhandled by a police officer.  These images run a parallel line of action and express very emotive but contrasting viewpoints. I believe the man in on the jet ski and prison cell is the same person and therefore, although the images have very different meanings they are both very anti-authority. In the first image the man on the jet ski is shown to be on top of the world and infusing off of the adrenalin created by appearing to outsmart the authorities as they are unable to catch him. As he is the underdog we support him on this quest. On the other hand, in the second video he is shown to be alone and vulnerable and also the underdog, therefore we support him again. However, this time it is the authorities who are in control and they appear to exploit their power by assaulting the man for no reason in a prison cell, which is much more ordinary to the average viewer than a helicopter chase. This again sides the audience with 'The Fugee's as the action is unfair but at the same time. This may be useful in establishing 'The Fugee's upbringing as in  the 'hood' which they commonly refer to, known police brutality is inflicted on young black males in a very unfair and ill mannered fashion. This image above can therefore be used to show the obstacles they may have had to overcome to not only become successful but not to fall into the self fulfilling prophecy.