The meaning of 'Empire State of Mind'

In class recently we have been looking at how media techniques can create meaning by looking at music videos. As music videos go Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' isn't the most entertaining; however, it is packed full of perfect shots, colours, and angles for critical analysis. So, here we go.

The video opens with and contains a series of still montages of New York. This quick paced editing and countless frames defines the cities hastiness and numerous hosts. Similarly, these varied shots of the city could hint towards its vastness of race and culture.

Colour also plays a large role in this video, as the verses, which talk of prostitution, gangsters, and drug dealers, are all filmed in black and white. Whereas, the chorus, that brags of the cities hopes and dreams, is filmed in colour. This suggests how the expectation of the city (the chorus) doesn't live up to the reality (the verses).

At the beginning of the video, Jay-Z is always seen from a low angle; these shots compared to the low level shots of the buildings, implies that he wants to be as big as the city/rule the city. This insinuates his characters smugness and perhaps his tough façade. Similarly, his constant change in costume between shots highlights his 'larger than life' need to show off. Later in the video, we see as Jay-Z's character looks out of a window over the city. This is crucial, as from this point in the song not only the lyrics change but so does the angle at which we see him. It is from this point that all the shots of Jay-Z are from a level or higher perspective suggesting that he himself has a new outlook on New York.

On the other hand, Alicia Keys is shot from a similar viewpoint, however, our perspective of her is completely different. This is due to the contrast between the way that women are described in the lyrics of the song and the way Keys is preserved. They have done this by dressing her in tight clothing but making her stand in a powerful position. This could be their method of showing that women in New York can be beautiful and strong, not just one or the other.

In conclusion, through the use of colour, angles, and costume a powerful construction of New York as a hectic and surprising city is created in Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind'.