TASK 6: LOYALTY by Kendrick Lamar ft. Rihanna

LOYALTY by Kendrick Lamar ft. Rihanna

Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna are two of the biggest HipHop artists of today and their collaboration has tuned heads. Kendrick is currently signed with Top Dawg and has released 6 albums including good kid, M.A.A.D city, untitled unmastered. and DAMN. Rihanna is an extremely successful singer, songwriter, fashion designer having just released her new makeup range, 'Fenty Beauty' and having previously collaborated with Puma. She's also actress, having recently starred in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. She is currently signed with Def Jam and is the youngest and fastest solo artist to earn fourteen number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as a current total of 31 Top 10 Hits on the same chart.

In the opening scene, Kendrick is blindfolded yet surrounded by women in leather lingerie, gold jewellery and heels. The way I'm interpreting this is that he's trying to show that he's loyal (to Rihanna) because he's not paying these women any attention but the fact that he has a blindfold on completely contradicts this because he can't see what they look like, what they're wearing, etc. If he could see what he was surrounded by, who's to say he would be able to maintain the control and willpower he's trying to portray. This first take starts off being shot from behind then moving through one of the girls legs, further sexualising and objectifying them.

The idea of loyalty is further explored when the rapper is encompassed by the rest of his 'crew'. With Kendrick in focus and directly in front of the camera with the rest of the guys out of focus and further behind. From one perspective, you could say that they're backing him up, supporting him - showing they're loyal to him. However, you could also say that they're closing in on him, trying to get rid of him or push him out of the group, maybe because they all want to be in the top position. The next picture furthers this idea.

Here there are boys trying to get to Kendrick, as if they want to tear him down because he's at the top of the chain and they're jealous but the image of them trying to swim through the tarmac gives the idea that he's untouchable. I think this clip gives quite a strong representation young boys in our generation. A big thing for a lot of teenage boys is trust and loyalty. There is a high demand for respect even when it hasn't been earned. If these aren't things you're receiving from the people you're hanging out with then you cut ties.

This is the first encounter with Rihanna and it portrays women as trouble makers. In this clip she purposefully starts a fight between Kendrick and the other guy in the car purely for her own entertainment. Of course Kendrick jumps straight in to protect her but it gives off the idea that women like to play with the power they have over men.

I think the target audience for these two artist as a pair ranges from the ages of about 15/16-20s. Rihanna is a huge idol for a lot of teenage girls and young women. She's seen as a strong, hardworking, successful and independent women and that is what girls should aspire to be like. This is shown through the low angle camera shot; it makes her seem powerful and as if she's strong and above everyone. However, she is also very openly seductive and erotic and you could say she's sexualised but I do think that it's her choice to be portrayed in this way simply because she's comfortable in her own skin and within her sexuality.