January is already over but that’s not the only good news…
GOOD IS BACK!
I’ve been on hiatus with trying to get my life together and also having writers block but no matter the circumstance I don’t want GOOD to go anywhere but up.
It is February 1st, yes. But, there are still some things from 2018 i’d like to talk about…
Like, what was the best music video of 2018? Artists got real creative last year and it’s still worth mentioning. I think I know my answer but lets weigh some options…
Here’s my top 5 and no, Cardi B’s Money video isn’t one of them although it was a trending topic on the Internet.
There are a few I would mention like Teyana Taylor’s ‘Gonna Love Me’ which takes us back to the 90s or Jorja Smith’s ‘The One’ that gives us 70s aesthetic. But, this is only what I could squeeze in the top 5.
With that being said let’s get right into it…
Weighing in on number 5 we have:
5. Sicko Mode x Travis Scott ft. Drake
WATCH: Travis Scott – SICKO MODE ft. Drake
There’s a tweet that said:
Director: “What visuals do you want?”Travis: “Yes”
This couldn’t be more accurate. The visuals are trippy af.
But, amongst the chaos of women twerking (even in Drake’s eyeballs), Travis as a Motown singer, and a lady that glows in the dark, you can still see that there’s a story. The story is a homage to Travis’ hometown of Houston, TX and the people in it. He wanted to show love to his city and I think this was an epic way of doing so.
4. God’s Plan x Drake
WATCH: Drake – God’s Plan
I cried watching this video. And not regular cry I’m talking ugly cry!
When we turn on the television and we see the news or turn on our phones and open our social media apps, we see a lot of bad news. But, to see the genuine love and generosity Drake displays to the people in this video is truly touching and refreshing. It’s just what we needed. 3. Apesh*t x The Carters
WATCH: APES**T – THE CARTERS
This video goes down in history!
HISTORY.
Because of The Carters, the largest art museum in the world, the Louvre Museum has broken a record of most visits since 2012. From the beginning, with a black boy angel to the end with Bey and Jay looking up at the Mona Lisa, this video is powerful. We already know The Carters’ make power moves but this is the video to prove it.
Black excellence.
2. Thank U, Next x Ariana Grande
WATCH- Ariana Grande – thank u, next
Not only is “Thank U, Next”, Ariana Grande’s first number one single on the top of the billboard charts but she has been named Woman of the Year by Billboard magazine.
“Thought i’d end up with Sean but he wasn’t a match Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laughEven almost got married and for Pete I’m so thankfulWish I could say thank you to Malcom cause he was an Angel”
I mean, ICONIC!
The Mean Girls, 13 Going on 30, Legally Blonde, and Bring It On movie references…ICONIC.
You’ll catch a lot of familiar faces when watching this video! If the opening “gossiping” Mean Girls scene that includes the real Aaron Samuels isn’t enough, one of her Victorious co-stars, Elizabeth Gillies (who played Jade) assumes the role of Cady Heron, and another Victorious co-star Matt Bennett (we know as Robbie Shapiro) played the role of Cliff from Bring It On.
One of my favorite parts of the video is when we actually get to see Kris Jenner as the Mean Girls mom meme, to close out the video she says “thank you next, b*tch” and it’s…you guessed again, ICONIC.
From the Mean Girls burn book where we get to see Ariana’s notes to her ex’s and the nail salon talk with Jennifer Coolidge who reprises her role from Legally Blonde as Paulette Bonafonte, “Thank U, Next” is definitely a close #1.
1. This Is America x Childish Gambino
WATCH: Childish Gambino – This Is America
We can all agree that Childish Gambino is a genius. The brains behind award winning TV series, Atlanta. Glover never fails to invoke powerful messages and spark necessary conversation.
There are many messages worth mentioning and some that I’ve even missed.
There’s the stance (pictured) that represents the historically racial Jim Crow illustrations. The facial expression made at the beginning of the video that similar to the self-hating Boondocks character, “Uncle Ruckus”. But, both may be seen as representation of Jim Crow. The dances throughout the video while violence and chaos occur in the background are representation of how the entertainment industry and the latest social media dance crazes distract us from problems happening right in front of our eyes. There’s also the choir that gets gunned down which is obviously in representation of the Charleston church shooting. At the end of the video we see Glover running in the dark and a mob of white people chasing after him dressed in business clothes, this can be seen as representation of institutionalized racism and the black mans struggle to survive while being racially targeted.
“This Is America” was by far the best music video of 2018.
Originally published 2/1/19.
