1. Find a current commerical in which a hip-hop artist advertises a product. Discuss the video as it relates to the role of marketing and advertising in the artist’s career. Make sure you provide examples to argue the thesis that hip-hop artists have (or have not) blurred the line between music and merchandise. Is hip-hop more open to identifying itself with brands? Is hip-hop more entrepreneurial than rock or pop? “…has black talk been used openly, knowingly, and not mockingly to sell products” (Savan 195)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyI5OnECBoM
This video is by HP with Jay-Z in it. HP used one of the most famous rappers to advertise their new notebook. If Jay-Z has it, it must be awesome. The HP notebook would stick out in your mind when you go to check out new computers and Jay-Z will stick out in your mind when you go to a music store. It's a win-win situation. It doesn't even matter who advertises their product. It's who's cool right now...what will sell the product. I don't think that hip-hop artists are particularly more open about advertising, I think if any other kind of artist was asked there would be the same chance of them saying yes as there is for a hip-hop artist were to. I think the "get money" factor of many rap songs kind of make rappers more entrpreneurial than any other type of artist. They need to have this busy, important, wealthy life style to keep up their image. Black talk has been used to sell products, obviously. You can find tons of videos on youtube that gratify that claim. I found it particularly interesting when at 00:39 Jay-Z said he was trying to be a rock star. I wonder why he thinks he's a rock star?
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I like your point about the "get money" factor of rap songs. Lots of rap songs talk mainly about money, so why wouldn't the rappers try to make as much money as they can, selling whatever product they can.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that companies want who is on top at the moment. They do not want someone that is just starting out in their career or the artists who is having trouble getting their CDs sold. Companies want the most popular, most happenin', and more attractive to the audience to sell their product.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. It is all about making money and living the "good life". It also definitely is about who's on top at the time. I wrote about 50 Cent promoting vitamin Water after he just sold 12 million albums worldwide. No one would touch him after he got shot but after he sold 12 million albums everyone was all over him.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that his face was never shown throughout the video. The computer graphics were awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe media definitely will chose a icon who is on top at the moment. The audience will turn their head to hear Jay-Z talk on a commercial but they might not for someone less popular.
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