Yo, the full video (or short film) for Common’s “Testify” from his 2005 release Be has been leaked and is available on youtube.
The film stars Taraji Henson, Wood Harris, Steve Harris, Kenny Burns and Kevin Black and was directed Anthony Mandler for Boxfresh Pictures.
The film was nicely done, following the story of a manipulative woman (Henson), who sets her husband (Harris) up for a murder that she committed. Halfway in to it, the song starts u and follows the story into the court room as the woman testifies against her husband.
Very dope concept. Props to Common for some creativity, even if it’s just getting out to the masses two years and one album later. Tell us what you think about it.
He just put up a video on the “Making of The Choice is Yours” the 1991 hit off of A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by the rap group Black Sheep. Dres of the Black Sheep gives us some insight as to how the song came about.
Black Sheep was one of my favorite groups back when I was is college (I still listen to Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing on my iPod to this day!). Check it out and tell me what you think.
So, unless you’ve been under a rock you know that Jay-Z is getting ready to drop a new CD, American Gangster, a musical interpretation of the film by the same same (starring Denzel Washington, Russel Crowe, Common, T.I., and RZA). Jay-Z is using this CD to return to his early days of emceeing about his life hustling on the street.
SOHH talked to the director of the video trailer for Jay’s first single “Blue Magic.” In the video, director Rik Cordero depicts an anonymous hustler moving product on the gritty streets.
“Based on that [description from Def Jam execs] I just updated that kind of concept and added a little spin to it from a young hustler’s perspective,” Cordero told SOHH. “It was totally like no permits, really renegade. The main kid was like an intern at Def Jam. The girls in the video were friends of one of the producers. It was put together really quickly.”
Although Hype Williams has shot the official video for “Blue Magic,” Cordero said he is “on call” for the mini-films that Def Jam plans to release for each song on American Gangster.
I think the video is a tight concept, especially for the subject matter of the song, album, and upcoming film. This is the type of advertising that I believe the music industry is destined to use more often to promote its newest records. Youtube and other Web 2.0 sites make it a lot less expensive to spread news about new product in a quick efficient way that will create that much needed buzz. What do you think about these type of viral music video advertisements.
Yo, the full video (or short film) for Common’s “Testify” from his 2005 release Be has been leaked and is available on youtube.