My Favourite Music Videos - No Church In The Wild

No Church In The Wild 

No Church In The Wild is a collaboration hip hop song by Jay Z and Kanye West. It was released in 2011 as a single for their upcoming collaboration album at the time, Watch The Throne.

In the first scene we see a young black teenager wearing a bandanna around his face to cover his identity. he is holding a flaming alcohol bottle and is ready to throw it in an act of vandalism. which could link to the stereotype of all young black people are criminals. There are other vandals behind him cheering him on and are all dressed similar.

the video then shows an ongoing fight between the youths and the police, riot shields, tear gas, guns and dogs are all featured. this could symbolise the ongoing war in the world or the fight/struggle that the youths have to go through growing up or a sign of people being fed up with the government as this could be a mini uprising. violence is featured heavily in the video however nothing happens in the end which could mean that the message behind the video is that violence doesn't get you anywhere and has no point or relevance in getting what you want/ stand up for.

 

The statue that is featured in the video represents the current emotions of the bystanders that are witnessing this riot. the statue is shown to have his hand on his face which shows that he is appalled at what he is seeing as violence is stupid or moronic and pointless. 

The title No Church In The Wild could mean that with the evolution of technology and culture people don't care about religion anymore and the wild could refer to the phrase the urban jungle.

The interchanging of power between the police and the youths show the uncertainty of what violence can create. It puts the message across of is there any real winner of violence? and does destruction, bodies and injuries mean anything in the end?

 

 This video does not follow the stereotypical conventions of a Hip Hop music video as no designer labels, jewellery, cars and women are shown. This video tries to send a real message to the audience which is why it is one of my favorite music videos.