Good Life - Kanye West ft. T-Pain (analysis)

This music video has been shot in a studio against a white screen. The two artists feature in the video, lip syncing to the lyrics and have been filmed in black and white, whilst illustrations appear around them. Therefore there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visual, with the visuals illustrating and amplifying the lyrics. The video is narrative-based.

The genre of the song is hip hop/ R&B which is evident due as most of the lyrics are rapped by the artists apart from the chorus. The animations illustrate sports cars, money and fame and the video also features a female model, all of which main conventions in hip hop music videos. The video can also be categorized into electric pop as there is a use of bright and colourful illustrations, and there are many close-ups of the artists being cheerful. The tune is also very upbeat.

This is one of the many frames in which Kanye West would draw out some of the illustrations. For example, this shot went with the lyrics 'Only then get pulled over in their new V'. This frame shows Kanye drawing the letter V, surrounded by animated police cars. I found it really clever how animators were able to combine the illustrations with the artists signs.

 

 Lyrics

'It feel like Atlanta
It feel like L.A.
It feel like Miami
It feel like N.Y'

These frames all illustrate different cities in the US, demonstrating the lyrics. Iconography is used as  well known buildings and statues have been used, to help the viewer understand the lyrics even better. For example when he says 'It feel like N.Y' the animation illustrates yellow cabs, the 'big apple', the Empire State building and the statue of liberty, all of which represent New York.




I found this shot very clever as it shows Kanye West sitting on an animated car, as if it is real. The sports car is also another main convention of a hip hop music video.







In the video, there are some frames in which Kanye West stands facing sideways, and the lyrics appear in a speech bubble. This enables the viewer to understand the lyrics better.

I really liked this part of the music video. I found it really creative. Kanye West holds an animated frame and moves it between himself and T-pain. Whoever the frame is placed on, that person becomes animated.




I feel this video is really successful. The way the animation's interact with the artists has been very cleverly created. It is as though the viewer's are able to see sort of get a feel of Kanye West's world and the way he see's things. The artists have performed really well, taking into consideration they were not able to see the animations.