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BET Awards 2022: Director X’s Imagination Runs Wild in These Cinematic Music Videos

How many of these visuals are your favorite?

Julien Christian Lutz, known professionally as Director X, is the mastermind behind some of the most classic and cinematic visuals in music history, having directed over 100 projects. The Canadian-born artist has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including Drake, Rihanna, and Kanye West. His wild ideas presented on the silver screen have garnered him praise from fans to peers alike, and at the BET Awards 2022, Director X will run up against several other industry veterans, including Hype Williams, Missy Elliot, and Benny Boom, for the prestigious “Director of the Year” award.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by actress Taraji P.Henson on Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Ca, but before then, we are taking a look back at some of the finest work from this year’s nominees, including Director X. Check it out below.

  • Future feat. Drake and Tems — “Wait For U”

    X focuses on love and betrayal in this medieval-themed music video released in early May 2022. In the visual, Drake plays a knight that delivers a note to a queen for the “toxic" king Future. There are duels and new romance, but in the end, the Queen isn’t here for Future’s antics.

  • Lil Yachty feat. Drake and DaBaby — “Oprah’s Bank Account”

    Director X taps into the daytime television talk show world for the music video for Lil Yachty’s “Oprah’s Bank Account” single featuring Drake and DaBaby. Lil Yachty portrays "Boprah,” a character inspired by media mogul Oprah Winfrey as a spoof o an old episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, with Yachty interviewing the featured emcees.

    Drake and DaBaby poke fun at themselves with the Canadian rapper addressing his “LSC (High Skinned Capabilities)” and The North Carolina highlighting claims that his rap flow is repetitive.

  • Usher — “Caught Up”

    Usher and X have teamed up before for the r&b crooner’s 2004 video for “Yeah.” In the visual “Caught Up,” the Atlanta singer is on his way to performance when he finds himself in a scuffle and damsel in distress. Following a brief tussle, Usher rushes to the venue to perform the remainder of the show.

  • Rihanna feat. Drake — “Work”

    Director X shot the first West Indian-inspired visual for Rihanna’s “Work” single, while director Tim Erem shot the second. The Grammy Award-winning songstress is spotted dancing in a nightclub and sharing several scenes with the Canadian rapper. The project earned the track a nomination for “Video of the Year” at the BET Awards 2016.

  • Kanye West — “Workout Plan”

    “Workout Plan,” both the short and longer versions, was directed by then Little X. It’s set as a 1980s-era workout video as the rapper instructs women on transforming themselves into housewives. The video features a slew of cameos from stars, including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Legend, rapper and actor Fonzworth Bentley, actress Tracee Ellis Ross, violinist Miri Ben-Ari, and the late Anna Nicole Smith.

    Tune in to the BET Awards 2022 Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET.

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