Week 8 Video Reviews
Keep Ya Head Up
Artist's Name:
Tupac Shakur was an American rapper and actor.
Song Title:
"Keep Ya Head Up"
CD/Album Title
Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
Year
1993
Record Company
Interscope
Director
Tony Rahbam
Narrative of Video:
The video opens up with the words "Dedicated to the memory of Latasha Harlins, it's still on" The camera moves to Tupac who is rapping while standing on a beach. The scene changes to a group of young men riding in a convertible car and a young woman is walking along the sidewalk. The guys in the car say something to her then they drive off. The video returns to Tupac. It shifts to a scene where a man is talking to a woman. The scene shifts back to Tupac and then to the man and woman who are fighting. The man walks away with a young child. The video focuses in on the woman who is pregnant. The man gets in a car and leaves. The video returns to Tupac. The camera moves in close to his face and stays on his eyes for a few seconds. The scene changes to a group of women standing in line and then shifts to a little boy walking along some railroad tracks. The video returns to Tupac. The camera changes positions, moving in very close then out and to the side and back to a frontal angle. The scene changes to a group of men in a circle who are raising their arms in the air when Tupac sings "keep your head up". The video returns to Tupac who has the young boy on his shoulders. The scene changes back to the pregnant woman. The scene changes back to Tupac and the little boy then to a man who is raising his arms in the air. The scene changes back to the group of women who are standing in line. The camera moves slowly down the line of women. Several quick scene changes occur from Tupac to a man, to a little girl dancing, to a group of young men on the corner and then to a little boy who is walking along the sidewalk. The boy comes up to the street corner. The group of young men are playing some kind of dice game. The scene changes from the little boy back to Tupac and then back to the little boy who is in the kitchen. He opens and closes the refrigerator door, and then walks away. The camera moves to a woman who is sitting at a kitchen table. The scene changes back to Tupac. He is in the center of a group of young men, then the camera changes to show him standing back with the group. The camera moves in to a close up of Tupac's face and moves out again. The scene changes to the little boy walking along the railroad tracks. The camera follows him around a building and he enters a market. The video moves back to Tupac rapping with the crowd of men behind him. There is a series of scene changes from Tupac to the little boy to a woman looking out a window and back to Tupac. The camera pans around the circle of men where Tupac is rapping. The scene changes to a little girl who is walking along a sidewalk. The lyric changes to "ooh child, things are gonna get brighter". The camera moves back to Tupac and he begins rapping again. He is holding the little boy in his arms. The camera changes shots showing Tupac alone, then with the group, then holding the little boy. The scene changes again to the young boy inside the market. It goes up to the cashier stand to pay for an item he has in his hand. The scene moves back to Tupac again. He is holding a little boy. The video changes back to the market. The checker is handing the little boy a sack of groceries. The scene changes to Tupac again. The camera goes from a wide angle to a close up of Tupac's face as he raps. The scene changes back to the market. A lady is smiling and handing the young boy his change. The scene changes back to Tupac. He is holding the little boy as he raps. The scene changes to the young boy who was at the market. He is back at home. He gives his mother a bouquet of flowers from inside the shopping bag. She hugs him. The scene returns to Tupac in the middle of the crowd. He is still holding the little boy. The camera changes again and Tupac is alone. He moves up to the camera, raises a finger in the air and says "you gotta keep your head up". The video ends.
How the Music and Video Relate:
The video and music relate very well together. The video story helps to convey the song's lyric.
Review:
This is a video that is obviously telling a story that is meant to empower others. Each time Tupac says "you gotta keep your head up" the people raise their arms in the air as a sign of determination. The video does a good job of using images to enhance the lyric.