With a renewed interest in the eclectically indie, big ticket music videos are quickly becoming a lost art. Indeed, with the new found tendency to favor the unique and unestablished, lavish videos – complete with luxury vehicles and cinematic special effect – are becoming the exception, rather than the rule. That being said, up until very recent years, the genres of hip-hop and r&b were notoriously flashy. The literal origin of the term "bling," many urban videos employed massive amounts of cash, all in the name of entertaining their fans. The following represents the most lavish hip-hop and r&b videos made since the year 2000.
#5) "Touch The Sky"- Kanye West ft. Lupe Fiasco (2006)- An old school throwback of a video, the comical visuals for Mr. West's "Touch the Sky" are simultaneously vintage and modern. Featuring Kanye, Lupe, and Pamela A. (as the leading lady), the video depicts Kanye as an old school daredevil, and it ultimately ends with the rapper boarding a small aircraft, presumably to "touch the sky." Filled with a huge band, flying apparatuses, vintage cars, and one amazing view, the price of this video soared to $1,000,000!
#4) "Thong Song" – Sisqo (2000)- One of the highest-selling singles ever recorded by the artist, the video for "Thong Song" is filled with fun, sun, and, of course, thongs. From the flashy costumes and luxury vehicles, to the elaborate dance sequences and celebrity cameos, (and did I mention, the thongs?!), the cost to make the video was $1,000,000.
#3) "Call On Me" Janet Jackson Featuring Nelly (2006)- Foreign, artistic, creative, and exotic, the video for Janet's "Call On Me" is as rich in texture as it is in funding. One of her lesser known collaborations, Janet teamed up with Nelly for this one, and spent $1,000,000 in the process.
Janet Jackson ft Nelly – Call On Me
#2) "Stronger"- Kanye West ft. Daft Punk (2007)- A glimpse into the new age of music, the video for "Stronger" is a science fiction lover's dream. Filled with bright lights and robots, this video looks to be a flashy introduction into the electronic world of Daft Punk. At any rate, the end product was definitely money well spent – $1,200,000 to be exact.
#1) "Doesn't Really Matter" Janet Jackson (2000)- Released over 15 years ago, the video for "Doesn't Really Matter" by Janet is still looks amazingly modern. A video depicting the starlet in a new age, state-of-the-art condominium and other brightly lit, high-tech locations, the star sings and dances around with her friends to the tune of $2,500,000!
With one look at a search engine, it can quickly be ascertained that big ticket videos are a thing of the past (at least for now). Although they are by no means necessary in order to enjoy an artists' music, it's always fun to reminisce about the days in which music was mainstream, and big budgets were plentiful…
