Star Image Textual Analysis

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Marshall Bruce Mathers (better known by stage name Eminem) is an American HipHop rapper who was signed to D12 record label for a few  years but later left to pursue a solo career therefore signed to his own record label shady recorders. He has achieved ten number one albums on the billboard 200. He has also sold more than 33 million track downloads and 39.6 million albums in the United States alone.


When Eminem became known in the music industry his star image was established as a naïve and comical artist, due to his previous music videos that contained intertextual references about other celebrities and music artists’ personal lives. For example in the music video ‘Just lose it’ he plays different roles in the video, through intertextual references he imitates one of Micheal Jackson’s video brining a sense of humour for the audience. Throughout the video close ups and low angle shots of Eminem are used giving him a centre of attention power, the low angles show that he is dominate in the video and also to gives emphasis to his star persona and help promote him as a star. Eminem also uses intertextual references in his previous videos e.g. ‘without me’ and ‘The Real Slim Shady’.

However Eminem’s star image motif matures slowly, this is seen through his new look in ‘Not Afraid’ album; black hair, smart and simple clothing. His recent music videos don’t contain humorous intertextual references which helps him deliver a serious approach towards the viewers, its also notable that he throw the ‘Silm Shady’ alter ego to the side.

By analysing Eminem’s career as an artist from when he started and now I can say that his brand image has changed in a significant manner. I believe that Eminem wants his fans to look at him at a different angle.

Music Video Textual Analysis - Avant && Nichole

The music video that I will be analysing is directed by Beau Dozier, song by Avant featuring Nichole Scherzinger. The style genre of this video is Rhythm and Base (usually abbreviated to R&B) the characteristics are; Steady up beat with variety of pitches, easy to understand and usually about love life whether its negative or positive, through R&B audience are able to relate due to the fact that there’s often a structured narrative or a message.
In the beginning of the video before the main artist Avant starts sings there’s a quick establishing shot of city building with dark grey cloud over it suggesting that there’s disequilibrium atmosphere, the camera then cuts into a long shot of him facing is back towards the camera in a low lighted livingroom. camera then fades into a different scene with an establishing shot of a mansion where the weather is different; it’s sunny and bright with a calmer atmosphere, a mid-shot of Nichole on the phone is shown as the camera cuts into an extreme close up of Avant, of the side of his face where the audience is able to see the clear white headset therefore the audience acknowledge that they are on the phone to each other.  As he sings  “Baby I know when we started out there were things you didn't know, but babygirl we got a lotta things we Need to discuss I know I’m asking for allot, but just trust”  the camera fades into a long shot of both of them in a dark confined space and we notice that there’s a pillar in-between them connoting that there is something that is stopping them from being happy, the audience gathers that they are in a relationship and its ‘complicated’ things don’t seem to be going to well.
The relationship between the music and the visual is significant; I noticed that in the beginning of the video, the video fades and cuts to the beat which has an impact as it cuts accurately at the same time as the beat. However as the music video gets tensed cuts slow down so that the audience is able to observe the relationship of both singers and understand how both of them are feeling.
When Nichole replies to him saying “First I thought that I could take you boy but I don't know, you told me you were gonna leave her for me long ago.” A high pitch violin commences which enhances her concern about the situation.
This music video is narrative-based and structured in a single strand, focusing on the main artist, Avant who is stuck in two relationships and has to make a decision on which he will remain with. As the video end we see Avant struggling in the storm to get in his car which connotes that he is finding it hard to his decision the camera then cuts into an extreme close up of Nichole’s fingers where we are able to see her rings, as Avant harmonises and the music gets louder the camera then cuts into a mid-shot of her, taking off the ring.  Avant continues to say to Nichole “just a litlle bit, just a litlle bit, just a litlle bit, longer, longer” she eventually joins him in agreement to wait ‘just a little bit longer’. The editing is done this way deliberately to bring tension.  The music video finally end with a high angle of Nichole with the sky as a background which then after a few seconds gray clouds take over showing that Avant is coming over to her.
All in all this music video is Narrative-based were the director’s main focus is on the situation. I believe that this music video is targeted at many young people who find themselves in this kind of love triangle situation. The song's lyrics are based on deceitfulness. What woman truly wants their relationship based on that.