Hip Hop Awards ‘20: Six Things To Know About This Year’s Nominees For Best Hip Hop Video
The nominees for Best Hip Hop Video at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards are visuals that stand out as much as the tracks do. Take DaBaby’s “Bop,” featuring a dance routine with a collective of masked acrobats, which went viral earlier this year for its ingenuity. Or Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture,” which followed the rapper’s journey to join a protest and speak for what’s right in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police. No matter the creative or social context, these videos inspire emotions in you and engrain the songs that they represent in both your heart and brain.
Ahead of the award show on Oct 27, BET has collected five things that you should know about this year’s nominees — one fact per video. They’ll sharpen your understanding of what each one is truly about, and perhaps change your understanding of them as you prepare to watch one of them get a trophy in the coming weeks.
“Bop” by DaBaby: The Inspiration Behind It
Watching “Bop” makes you laugh, smile, and want to dance. The video follows different groups of people on a street corner who decide to come together for one massive dance number, featuring DaBaby who, after running from the cops, joins everyone for a good time. The inclusion of dance group Jabbawockeez, who act as a central piece to the routine, elevates the video to the next level. James Rico, the video’s director, revealed to Genius that this video idea was inspired by the intro sequences of Austin Power movies.
“Rockstar” by DaBaby and Roddy Ricch: The People Behind The Cameras
The cinematic, visually-appealing video for “Rockstar,” with its storyline about fighting zombies, is breathtaking. After pulling up in an expensive car and shooting a zombie, DaBaby and Roddy Ricch hold their own against a worldful of mindless mutants determined to munch on their skulls. Although it’s much different than the groups prior videos, the “Rockstar” video is the work of Reel Goats, the superstar directing team that is behind all of DaBaby’s biggest videos.
“Toosie Slide” by Drake: Who Else Was Supposed To Be In The Video
Simple yet so, so clean, Drake’s video for “Toosie Slide” is, pretty much, just a tutorial on how to do the Toosie Slide. Sure, it shows off his massive home and its collection of posters and awards, but it’s primarily about kicking your leg to the front, side, and back, and then dancing like you’re excitedly awaiting a package. This dance, that comprises 85% of the video, was created by dancers Toosie, Hiii Key, and Ayo & Teo, who sent the footage over to Drake after making it. They were supposed to be a part of the video but because of COVID-19, that didn’t happen.
"Life Is Good” by Future and Drake: Some Superstar Cameos In The Video
Future and Drake try their hands at multiple professions in their video for “Life Is Good,” and, in doing so, they meet a lot of different people. Aside from women that they’d like to get to know, the rappers cross paths with Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, and Mike Will Made It
“The Bigger Picture” by Lil Baby: Where It Takes Place
The power of Lil Baby’s video for “The Bigger Picture” can give the listener chills. Wearing a face mask, the rapper joins black people and marches for justice. The place that he’s marching at is his hometown, Atlanta, and the reason for the protest is the killing of George Floyd by police officers.
“The Box” by Roddy Ricch: Who Directed The Video
Ricch’s “The Box” video is a visible spectacle that’s about everything except a box. In the inventive visual, the rapper is everything from sex factory worker to the President of the United States. If you dig the creativity, it turns out that you have to thank Roddy himself. He revealed that he co-directed the visual.
