When you are a big star like Rihanna you can pretty much come out with great videos evey time with the money you have to throw at it. And I’ve seen many great videos but her latest one Rude Boy directed by Melina Matsoukas really got my attention. When most people watch it they don’t really see it as better than other ones but I feel from an artistic point of view it’s innovative.

It takes risks and creates an unexpected feeling. And it’s put together very well with continuity and flow. What’s also relevant about this video is that it’s a strong reflection of the printed tee streetwear culture. The splashes of colour and the 80′s feel. What’s I also  like about it is the homage to the iconic pop culture artists Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. The use of graphics and treatment to the images also works great to create the overall high energy tempo.

While there are some controversy about Matsoukas copying M.I.A.’s Boyz and Galang videos I would have to disagree. From the surface one would think they are similar but if you watch it closely and look at the treatment and feel of it, it is absolutely different. One can only say that Mastosukas use a few of the techniques in the M.I.A. videos.It’s like someone unfamiliar with suits to see two people wearing a black suit and to say one copy the other. While someone more familiar with it can say, that’s a $300 and the other is a $2000 hand tailored bespoke suit.

While the director of M.I.A.’s Boyz started with some of the techniques and feel it is not as refined and inspirational as Mastsoukas’ work. This may be due to the budget but the experience, implementation, and the shear creativity of Matsoukas is like comparing a pro baseball player to a little league star.

You can also check out some of her other work which has a similar funky raw style.

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