Jay Z 99 Problems
About the Music Video Both Jay-Z’s third single album “99 Problems” and its corresponding music video were released in 2004. Although Jay-Z is known today as a famous rapper and a producer of Roc-A-Fella record label, he did not start off with the most fortunate setting. The music video portrays the ghetto of Brooklyn, New York in the 1990s and illustrates the struggles that Jay-Z had to go through during his career in order to reach the top of the music industry. This hip-hop music video won “three MVPA awards in 2005, MTV Video Music Awards, Video of the Year, and the Best Male Video” (Wikipedia). Primary Audience The primary audience for this music video is African American males. The second verse of the music video shows Jay-Z
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By this time, it is clear that Jay-Z had gone through tough times throughout his career. He was caught selling drugs several times, was discriminated by the society, spent time in jail, and has “foes that wanna make sure his casket’s closed” (Verse 1, line 2). Metaphorically speaking, he had “99” problems which were important landmarks and may have been major threats in his life. Going through all the conflicts, Jay-Z still survives and stands firm and takes a look at other males with their minor problems—for example, having girl problems. In the chorus of his song, he says that he has “99 problems but a bitch ain’t one, if you are havin’ girl problems I feel bad for you son”(Chorus). The ‘feeling bad’ part of the chorus is not the literal intention of what Jay-Z is trying to tell the males with girl problems. He is being sarcastic and indirectly criticizing them for complaining for such little problems, compared to what Jay-Z went through. Here is Jay-Z who went through life or death problems looking at males who are complaining about little problems—it is almost comical to see them complaining from Jay-Z’s perspective. Through the music video, Jay-Z is sending a message to his audiences that we all have some kind of problems, big or small. He has gone through much worse than people who are dwelling on girl problems—life is not easy, but we all have to deal with it and move
By this time, it is clear that Jay-Z had gone through tough times throughout his career. He was caught selling drugs several times, was discriminated by the society, spent time in jail, and has “foes that wanna make sure his casket’s closed” (Verse 1, line 2). Metaphorically speaking, he had “99” problems which were important landmarks and may have been major threats in his life. Going through all the conflicts, Jay-Z still survives and stands firm and takes a look at other males with their minor problems—for example, having girl problems. In the chorus of his song, he says that he has “99 problems but a bitch ain’t one, if you are havin’ girl problems I feel bad for you son”(Chorus). The ‘feeling bad’ part of the chorus is not the literal intention of what Jay-Z is trying to tell the males with girl problems. He is being sarcastic and indirectly criticizing them for complaining for such little problems, compared to what Jay-Z went through. Here is Jay-Z who went through life or death problems looking at males who are complaining about little problems—it is almost comical to see them complaining from Jay-Z’s perspective. Through the music video, Jay-Z is sending a message to his audiences that we all have some kind of problems, big or small. He has gone through much worse than people who are dwelling on girl problems—life is not easy, but we all have to deal with it and move