Black-Ass Music Videos
Welcome to the 75th installment of This Black-Ass Life. This week, month, year, etc. etc. has been wildly overwhelming. R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman. Thank you for your legacy and grace.
There’s not much more we want to process, so let’s take a little time this Monday to celebrate Black-ass talent in Black-ass music videos. Ok? Ok!
Don’t forget: We've managed to grow this list thanks to y'all forwarding to friends so please keep it up! Forward this link to subscribe to five friends. And send us topics you'd like to see covered, texts from your Black-ass people, and any Black-ass anything from around the world and web.
I. Iconic Black Music Videos
An entirely non-exhaustive, stream of conscious list of music videos from Black-ass greats that make us happy (and hopefully make you happy, too) ❤️
HISTORY
One of the first iconic music videos: Thriller.
Also, the sheer number of cameos in Remember the Time was bananas but we got to watch our one, true star at work: IMAN.
Mariah can’t dance for shit, BUT Mama can give us a video EXPERIENCE: Heartbreaker, Honey, Touch My Body
Anyone else cry like we do at the end of Whitney Houston’s I’m Every Woman?
Also the tears when you’re reminded that IT’S POSSIBLE by Whitney & Brandy.
Just Janet, Just Because
Janet Jackson invented leaving your worries behind with Escapade.
Janet Jackson invented covers with Got ‘till It’s Gone.
Janet Jackson invented pleasure. Here’s The Pleasure Principle.
Janet Jackson invented being with all your girls at the party with All For You.
Janet Jackson invented accountability. Here’s What Have You Done For Me Lately.
Janet Jackson invented dance with Rhythm Nation.
Missy Elliot
Missy modeled how you WEAR a velour track suit in Gossip Folks and Work It.
Missy as a scarecrow is cooler than EVERYONE. Here’s Pass That Dutch.
DO YOU REMEMBER MISSY CRAWLING UP FROM THE GROUND IN LOSE CONTROL?
Who among us has not cut up a trash bag and paired it with a bicycle helmet in a weak attempt to impersonate the iconic The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).
Michelle Obama loves Get Ur Freak On and so do we.
The leather cowboy realness in She’s a Bitch. We did not deserve!
R&B/Pop Icons
Magic Mike who? Ginuwine SERVED in Pony.
Y’all think the rumors are true about D’Angelo and Untitled (How Does It Feel)?
Aaliyah’s music, if released today, would still feel ahead of its time. Here’s One in a Million.
Rihanna gave us MANY iconic music video moments, but Rude Boy is our fave.
Extremely difficult to pick a favorite Beyoncé’s video given the visual masterpieces she’s so generously provided. However, for a fun start to your Monday, here’s Blow & Countdown.
Before there was Mad Max Fury Road, there was Mya telling you about the Case of The Ex.
Second entry for Mya. She gave us vaudeville. She gave us tap. She gave us EVERYTHING we could have wanted with My Love Is Like...Wo.
All Ciara does is dance better than you, so she decided to find a dance partner in her damn self in Like a Boy.
Rap Game Changers
We hate the homophobia, a lot and… Busta was a visionary. His videos were creative, inventive and just fun.
The Jump Off was a cultural reset. Bless you, Lil’ Kim.
Ludacris does. not. get. his. roses. for being the video ICON that he is! Remember his arms in Get Back?
Every single Outkast music video is perfect. Here’s Rosa Parks.
Star Groups
TLC taught us to double check contracts and work on our beauty from the inside out. Here’s Unpretty. Also, did y’all peep the technology!?
The HEIGHT of special effects and depth of camera in Boyz II Men’s End Of The Road.
Kings of standing in matching outfits to tell you what’s good. Here’s Dru Hill’s We’re Not Making Love No More.
It’s so hard to pick a favorite Destiny’s Child video because I remember acting them all out with full earnest. Rent is due tomorrow, so let’s go with the anthem Bills, Bills, Bills.
Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You) is the definitive wedding song.
African Faves
Yemi Alade’s music all sound the same to me (Junoke), no shade all shade, but the Johnny video is IT.
Eddy Kenzo’s Sitya Loss gave pure #BlackBoyJoy
Not exactly the music video, but Fuse ODG’s Antenna spawned a lot of amazing dance videos, this being a favorite.
Watching Davido’s Aye makes me want to teleport to my ancestral village.
Gen Zs are HERE with carefree Blackness
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Mitu):
My whole spirit is ready for Brandy and Monica’s Verzuz tonight, so I’m enjoying this playlist of their hits until then.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to Girlfriends dropping on Netflix September 15!!
I (Mitu) look forward to more Lovecraft Country. I’m late to it because horror scares me, but it is SO GOOD (as y’all already know because again, I’m the late one).
ll. Text from a Black-Ass Dad
My dad (Jumoke) telling us to always wear a face SHIELD is #definitive2020.
Stay Black, thrive and take a music video break or three this week! We’ll hit your inbox next on September 14.