Live n in Living Color...4

Happy Monday to everyone! Yes I know the work week has started back up but only 4 more days left till the wknd. Have no fear though, Coleminers has got you covered on new updates and content to help this week go by a little quicker. In today's post, I have collected some of the latest videos to drop this past week or so and added my little review. Hope you all enjoy...

Chris Brown "Sweet Love" x "Till I die"

It is clear that Chris Brown is a hardworking star in the music industry. In fear that he will be asked the "water cooler through a window" questions, he has taken a hiatus from doing interviews and red carpet premieres to just working in the studio and putting out music and videos for the fans to enjoy. With his two latest videos "Sweet Love" and "Till I die" dt Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa off his Fortune album dropping later this summer, he shows two different sides to his eclectic personality. In the "Sweet Love" video, Brown goes for the softer, more generic appeal of R&B complete with rain and pseudo crying confessions of love. On the other hand in the "Till I die" video, he takes some notes from Cheech& Chong with a more modern hip-hop spin. The video is fun and filled with plenty of silly things, so nothing really to judge or review. I must give kudos though because Brown is one of the few artists that can still sell and win awards with very little publicity.

Wiz "Grinder"

With some new material and a return to the "old" Wiz with his last mixtape, Philly rapper Wiz khalifa released a new visual for his single "Grinder". At this point it is pretty clear that Wiz likes his home grown herb, so much so that he titled his latest single off of the item used to break the mary jane up into smaller parts (for those who didnt know). However I doubt that the video would be very interesting if thats all there was to see, so to keep the weedheads and nonweedheads entertained he took us on a little journey, or a night out. With fellow rapper Juicy J following in the background and a wide shot camera to take the viewer on a high night out.

cataracs x waka x kaskade "all you"

Blend lizard babes, a shoot out, LSD breast milk, water guns, and Waka Flocka riding a segway all set in a middle-of-nowhere old western bar and you have a sense of the hilarious randomness that takes place in the Cataracs visual for their single "All You" ft Kaskade and Waka Flocka. The rap/producer duo did something a little different and take a "Wrong turn" approach to this club friendly hit by playing two hitchikers stranded at a western themed bar somewhere off of some desert road. With all the imagery, I think director Mickey Finnegan was playing off the unusual and randomness of a duo white rapper group and the Waka Flocka feature. The video is funny in its randomness and I can appreciate the creativy of the two, plus the song is kinda dope. Oh and did I mention all takes place off a psychodelic trip from a shot of hallucinogenic breast milk?

No church in the wild-The Throne ft Frank Ocean

Long awaited and highly anticipated vid for Watch the Throne's "No Church in the Wild" was finally released this past week. I have been a fan of this song for awhile and lately it seems like you cant watch a movie trailer without hearing the 88-keys and Kanye West beat. This song should have been one of the first singles off the LP and the visual is nothing less than epic. Complete with a full scale riot in some foreign country and topped off with a random elephant (i guess to symbolize the wild or something), this video compacts all the intensity and rawness of the song but leaves out a cameo from Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Jay-Z. I don't know if director Romain Gavris thought that it would be more powerful to not include the artists lip synching or appearing in the video but, regardles, it is a good watch.

Will.I.am ft Eva Simons "This is Love"

Previous reviews for Will.I.am havent been the best on this blog but I cant hate on dude because he is a great producer and talented artist. His latest solo efforts have not been greatly received, but that doesnt stop him from putting out new material. His latest video for his single "This is Love" ft Eva Simons has the makings of a dance-pop hit and the video is nothing too extraordinary. Director Rich Lee uses multiple Korean imagery and plenty of costume changes as he takes through the seasons. Simons offers the "weird" and oddly attractive element with her good looks and never moving, signature mohawk and Will.I.Am does his best sensitive guy role that comes across as a futuristic R&B singer with an old school piano. Complete with the generic "party crowd" that seems to come with every dance video like a prop for a movie and great shots of the London Bridge, Lee has all the elements for making an appealing visual.

Coldplay "Princess of China"

Sometimes when a single fails to hit the charts but has the potential to be a huge single, a dope video is made for it to help stir the buzz and get the masses to becoming addicted. It seems that the industry has done this tactic ever since they realized that with both visual and audio stimulation, the public can make a subpar song a hit, ie Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" song and video. Riding off the coattails of Rihanna's latest singles succes at number one on the billboard charts is Coldplay's latest visual for the single "Princess of China" ft Rihanna. The Adria Petty and Allen Bibby directed video takes some inspiration from one of my favorite movies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and has the songstress and the lead singer Chris Martin doing their best ninja in feudal China inpersonations. With a little sword fighting and ancient Chinese dancing, this wuxia-inspired video is more on the CGI heavy interpretation of a song about a bad relationship and includes some special effects that we have seen before. It is a good effort but not one of their best videos.

Kid Ink "lost in the sauce"

LA rapper Kid iNK prepares for his debut LP Up and Away, dropping June 12th, by releasing his new video for the single "Lost in the Sauce". Doing his best to keep the kids off drugs and promote D.A.R.E., Brian Collins aka Kid iNK every scene with at least a different substance in hand. From alcohol to weed to vape, the video is basically him getting high and riding around town...by himself. The black and white vid looks pretty low budget and is basic, but I'm sure the fans will still love it. If this is going to be the future of Hip-Hop, consider me strictly an R&B and throwback junkie.

"Invincible" MGK

Bad Boy artist and party-rap rocker Machine Gun Kelly released a video for his new radio-friendly single "Invincible" ft Ester Dean. With everything that a self-motivating and "struggling through hard times" biographical track has to offer this video follows the same formula. There is the multiple shots of people down on their luck, Dean (looking exceptionally good) walking through some hall in an abandoned building, the MGK solo passionate-rapping scenes, and the MGK with his band "rockin-out". Judgement aside, the song is a solid track and this is one of the first non-dance songs that I have heard from Dean. The video is a little cliched but director Isaac Rentz's imagery tells the story well.

"Ride like that" Travis Porter

The Alex Nazri directed video for Travis Porter's "Ride Like that" is the 4th single of their debut album Day 1. Model chicks, hanging light fixtures, designer shoes, and Jeremih's swacking of Diddy's style best describe this video. It is pretty basic with a different scenes of the fellas in different settings with three different girls. Other than the usual imagery and the models, there is nothing else that really stands out. Their debut album is in stores now.

Live n in Living Color Part Tre

With another round of videos hittin the internet and tv screen, I dedicate another post to the wonderful world of the music video. However, wanted to do something a little different and jampack as much videos (old and new) that i might have missed over the brief hiatus. So without further delay, sit back, relax, grab some Cheeto's or Dorito's, and enjoy the visuals...

"Lights Down Low"-Bei Maejor

Bei Maejor has set out to prove that not only can he sing and produce but he can also rap. With his club-hit single "Lights Down Low" ft Waka Flocka, he even sets out to prove that he has just as much swag as the rappers. The video is pretty basic with everything that would appeal to the hip-hop community(jerseys, basketball, drinks, partying, and pretty girls) but with an addictively catchy track you dont need a stunning visual.

Lil Scrappy-"helicopter"

After a brief hiatus, Lil Scrappy returns with a new single "Helicopter" ft. 2 Chainz, Rolls Royce Rizzy, and Twista. The video isnt too visually stunning but matches the song by actually adding in "helicopters". The song is classic Scrappy and may not be his comeback but it is good to hear something from the southern emcee.

"Take it to the Head"-Dj Khaled

Trapped in a subway station and about to drown with the massive amounts of water flowing in? Then Party! You've got plenty of hot model chicks around you but no bottles...take it to the head! With Dj Khaled's "Take it to the Head" ft Chris Brown, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj visual, he draws inspiration from the infamous Universal Studios ride and show the best of creative and destroyed settings. One thing that I found a little interesting for a song about drinking, there is the absolute absence of any bottles.

ANTHM-"Manhattan"

Ethiopian-American rapper hailing from NY may be new to the scene but has the potential to be one of the newest greats to hit the music world. With his new visual for "Manhattan", he keeps it simple but classy with a rags to riches in reverse approach to living in Manhattan and struggles of making it through a slight addiction to the bottle. The video is simple but creative in its approach. For an unsign emcee, I can see why he has the heavy on-line following. I remain a fan.

Melanie Fiona-"Watch Me Work"

Melanie Fiona's sophomore album MF Life has been receiving nothing but good reviews but commercially hasn't lived up to the hype. With her latest visual for track "Watch Me Work", she focuses on empowering her audience with a collage of strong and powerful woman over the decades. Although not one of my favorite tracks and least likely to become a major hit, this feminist PSA is creatively put together but takes too much away from the song. This seems more suited for something to display in the background while on tour but it still is a dope mix of the strong and beautiful.

"U Did That (Remix)" Teairra Mari ft 2 Chainz

After listening to the first release of Teairra Mari's "comeback" track "U Did That", I had a feeling that it was yet to be mastered. With the addition of 2 Chainz, she adds that gritty, masculine perspective to contrast with her sexy, sultry voice. Although the track has potential to be a banger, the over-the-top approach from the beautiful songstress just comes across as trying to hard to appear sexual. What kills me is that she is already beautiful and sexy, the term "less is more" should have come across loud and clear during the direction of this video. Besides that, the concept and look is very basic and falls short to  make the song interesting. This video just leaves you wanting more but just from a different source.

"The Woman You Love"-Ashanti ft Busta Rhymes

Although it has been over 8 months and Ashanti's comeback single has yet to hit the charts, she has released a visual for the track "The Woman You Love". The song is actually one of her stronger efforts but the visual doesn't exactly capture the intensity or the sense of the single. Not exactly sure what she is trying to portray with this video. Is she a futuristic alien singer from space that is reflecting on her relationship on Earth or is she just an angry futuristic witch tired of being constantly played? Either way she is looking good and hope this single, at least, gets more radio play for her. Maybe a re-up on the video and better promotion might help.

"Pop A Rubberband"-Travis Porter

There comes a time in every rapper's career when they take the high road and make the coveted "stripper" video. With Travis Porter's new single "Pop a Rubberband", they took notes from rappers of the past for a BET Uncut(if still around) worthy stripper anthem video. Nothing much to discuss or review, the strippers look right and the shaking of the gluteus maximus is plenty. Damn shame that these girls think this video will put them on, God bless America. 

Kevin McCall-"Naked"

West Coast producer, rapper, and ex Chris Brown entourage member Kevin McCall drops a visual for his promo single "Naked" ft Big Sean. The video is pretty stylish and is filled with plenty of ladies with strategically placed hands and arms over their naked bodies. With a little cameo from Brown, McCall hopes to appeal to a wide audience and take over the club with this track. Although the video is well done, the single is overproduced and generic.

Nelly Furtado-"Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)"

Nelly is back with a new dance track "Big Hoops (bigger the better)". Recently releasing the visual, she displays the obvious big hoops but adds a few extra BIG elements. Walking on stilts, growing 10 stories high, and throwing in some Native American tribal dancing, Furtado mixes her imagery from "Like a Bird" to more current Hip-Hop influences. The video isn't something that I would call visually stunning but the addition of the tribal dancing and use of color is something I haven't seen before from her and I like it. 

"Amazing"-David Banner ft Chris Brown

Not exactly sure when David Banner became a more creative and diverse Southern rapper, but his latest visual for his new single "Amazing" ft Chris Brown is a mix between MJ's "Leave Me alone" and a elementary school kids class project. The imagery is filled with paper cut-outs and dolls that would make Robot Chicken creators look sideways. With a little cameo from the MJ action figure, I am going to jump out on a limb and say that this is suppose to be a homage video but it falls short. I like that Banner is doing something different but it definitely looks like he spent about $50 on this visual. 

Kanye West-"Lost in the World"

Although this Ruth Hogben directed video is a year late considering that "Lost in the World" came out in 2010, this Kanye West visual is one of his best. The visually stunning effect of the separating buildings are only amplified by the black and white tones and precise cinematography. I really liked this video and only hoped that it was released earlier, so that more people would actually care to watch and comment on it. Say what ever you want about Mr. West, but you cant deny that he has a talent for finding visually stunning and audio mesmerizing art.

"Let's Go" Calvin Harris ft. Ne-yo

Dance music has always had international appeal. From Asia to the West Coast, the electronic sounds of great DJ's like Calvin Harris can be heard throughout any club. With his latest visual for the single "Let's Go" ft Ne-Yo, director Vincent Haycock capitalizes on the concept that music is international. There isn't any lip synching to the track but more of couples from different areas of the world enjoying different hobbies and Calvin Harris' parties. Ne-Yo makes a little cameo in the video as well. Although the song is beginning to grow on me, the video is something that I have seen before.

"Wildfire"-SBTRKT

SBTRKT track "Wildfire" has become strangely addictive to me, as of late. Although their visual for the hit track was released over a year ago, I felt the need to share it with you because it is just that odd but appealing. The Sam Pilling directed video did not make much sense to me at first and just confused the hell outta me as I tried to figure out why the female star was convulsing and sweating in the bed. It wasnt until I read some of the comments from the youtube page that I realized that Pilling took inspiration from a Korean superstition that if you fall asleep with the fan on, you will die from dehydrating. Hmm. Well regardless of the superstition, the effects are pretty interesting and dope and the song is just as mesmerizing as the song. 

Something Special: Bikinis, Beaches, and *itches Video playlist

Although it is a slow but wonderful Monday, and I should be posting some new mixtapes, I just wanted to take a minute to get a little off topic. With summer approaching and the temperatures rising, the women of the music world take their latest visuals for their chart climbing singles to the beach, swamps, and deserts. In this post, Rihanna, Dawn Richards, and Nicki Minaj recently dropped videos for their respected hits and future hits. Being the admirer of the video art and these songstress, I wanted to share with you their latest efforts. Enjoy!

Rihanna "Where have You Been"

With a movie on the way (Battleship) and a platinum album with multiple hits and an upcoming tour, it is safe to say that Rihanna is currently one of the hottest female artists out. Today she continued to show off her new black hair and some newly found African inspired dance moves with her latest music video for fan-favorite hit "Where Have You Been".

In this Dave Meyers directed video, Rihanna explores many different visuals and environments. From windy deserts to sitting in the trees, Rihanna looked good in every scene. She was even able to make the swamp, she emerges and departs from in the beginning and end, look appealing. One thing that stood out most with every change of environment were her dance moves that mixed well with the lyrics and tone of the each verse. Although Rihanna is not the best dancer, she still keeps up with the bakground dancers while letting her sexy capture most of the attention. This video is definitely one of her bests and exactly what thissubpar, borderline generic beat driven song needed to further stand out from the rest of the album. Meyers and Rihanna should pat themselves on the backfor this one because  the concept, make-up, style, visuals, and choreography for this video are great.

Nicki Minaj "Starships"

There isnt a radio station or anywhere you can go without hearing the catchy chorus or nursery rhyme beat of "Starships" off Nicki Minaj's latest LP. Like "Superbass", this is another pop/radio-friendly song but one thing it lacks that "Superbass" had was lyrics that actually make any type of sense. She recently dropped a visual for the radio hit and, like the lyrics, it has nothing to do with the song. One thing that makes this video enjoyable to watch, besides the mute button, is the fact that Nicke's body is drool worthy. In nothing but a pink bikini and green wig, she struts along the beack and sand, showing off the assets that make her stand out from other rap chicks in the game. She seems to have figured that the worse the song, the more provocative she needs to become. An example of this idea is the video for "Beez in the Trap". Both videos are best watched on mute...

 

 Dawn Richards "Bombs"

Former Diddy Dirty Money and Danity Kane starlet Dawn Richards has recently stepped out on her own to further develop her solo career. With a #1 EP released earlier this year, titled Armor On, she released a video for one of its lead singles "BOMBS". Considering that the video dropped in late March, it took me a minute to get to a review for it but here is a perfect chance for those who havent seen it yet. Although the video doesn't have her in a bikini or on the beach, it is still a hot visual with strong military and african tribal dance influenced choreography. Dawn definitely does her thing and came strong for her first effort but the song is a little overproduced and it makes it hard to hear exaclty what her unique voice is saying. I believe that with the right production and team behind her, she can become one of the top female acts in the industry because she is a great dancer with a memorable and distinct voice.