By Femi Onanuga

JESUS WALKS

ABOUT THE SONG • "Jesus Walks" is a song by

American hip hop recording artist Kanye West. It was released on May 25, 2004 as the fourth single from his debut album, The College Dropout. The song is built around a sample of "Walk with Me" as performed by the ARC Choir. "Jesus Walks" was acclaimed by music critics, who praised its compelling sonic atmosphere and boldness in its open embrace of faith. It was met by widespread commercial recognition, peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming West's fourth consecutive top twenty hit in the United States.

THE NARRATIVE • There are three different storyline in

the music video there is one with Black prisoners arguing with the prison guards. The second one features south American being pursed by the police in the desert they have drugs in their boot. But the main storyline is that of a white man who is cutting down a tree who then turns to be making a cross to burn as his is a member of the Ku Klux Klan he is cutting down a tree ad makes a cross and he lit it on fire .The cross falls down the mountain but he is so blinded by hate he does realise that his robe is on fire. But then it rains it’s like god is forgiving him and he puts out the fire it could also represent a baptism.

GOODWIN/MULVEY THEORY • This video contradicts Goodwin’s Theory that Hip hop videos features Aspiration

this video doesn’t have the usually fast car jewellery or beautiful women shaking their bums. This Video has more of a message. But this is more appropriate because of the message of the songs it would makes sense to make a typical hip hop video with bottles popping and girls dancing. Mulvey’s Theory is contrdicts in this as she states that women are seen in two ways in music videos. She states they are either represented as a virgin or a whore. In most Hip Hop videos women are represent in the form as what Laura Mulvey would say a “Whore”. But in this Kanye West video the woman is represent in a neutral kind of stand point.

GOODWIN THEORY

Kanye West has a close up which conforms to one of Goodwin's Theory as There are close ups of him singing. He is in a hallway full of hellish fire and angelic light above his head. This is great representation of his life he tries to be good (an angel) but devil is out to get him (the hellish fire chasing him. Through out the fire gets close to him but then stops. But eventually gets him and the whole hallway is engulfed in films and he is incarnated

INTERTEXTUALITY/PRODUCT PLACEMENT • In this video the status quo of a hip hop video is contradict as it wasn’t a normally hip

hop video it makes sense as most hip hop videos would contain product placement and this sort of thing but in tis video as it I contradicted it would make seen for it to not have product placement. The product placement would be that of the aspiration it would be brands of alcohol and designer brands. But Kanye West’s videos contradicted this as his videos there to teach a listen and try to give meaning, and the video vixens, flashing jewellery and designer brands would get in the way of the message he is trying to convey.

MISE-EN-SCENE • The main colours in this video are white and black the whole video seems to have a dark

tint to it which is fitting for the dark under tone. This suits the message of the video and the overall song. The costumes in this video have a major thing in common they are all white in colour. I believe this is represent the holiness or innocent of the character in the video. The colour White is usually associated with purity like a bride on her wedding or a baby at their christening. Locations in the video seem to be in in a rural part of American maybe the deep south with the KKK Storyline as that part is highly associated with racism this art of America is also knew for it’s religious values. The Drug Dealer storyline my have taken place near the Mexican border as they seem to south American so it fitting.

CAMERA MOVEMENT, SHOT AND ANGLES • There are a variety of shots and angles and movements.

There are mostly mid shots there are a couple close ups when Kanye West is singing the camera is at a low angle. This could represent him talking down on the audience. Like he was talking down on us. But this link to the lyrics. In the lyrics he seems to b trying to tech the audience a lesson which would make sense for him to be talking down on us like he is a teacher. These close ups link to one of Andrew Goodwin’s Theory and one feature is that the label suggests that the label will ask for the artist to be seen close up so the audience can Identify with them.

SPECIAL EFFECTS AND TRANSITIONS • There weren't much special effects and

transitions. But the Kayne West rapping scene is riddled with heavy effects the hellish fire is contrasted by the halo light above his head. Also the scene with the Black inmates there is a black and white filter. There is also a cartoon of the Ku Klux Klansman with what looks like a demon and angel. You can only see this for a couple milliseconds.

DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES• Male rap and hip-hop artists have

ideologies used to revolve more around power and masculinity, but this ideologyhas changed over time. In the earlier days of hip-hop and rap, songs were oftenbased on living in the ghetto and the subculture of hip-hop including graffitiand break dancers. These songs were about males living in hard neighbourhoodsand their lives that have come out of living in those situations. The lyricswere about fighting police and fighting against the situations that they livedin. These songs were about their hardships, and they were not revolved aroundpartying or alcohol. Since then however,there has been a shift with males in hip hop and rap. Though this isn’t truefor all circumstances, it is easy to find music videos and song lyrics wheremen are objectifying women and talking about sex, violence, drugs, alcohol andpartying. There is usually product placement in these music videos whereproducts are often placed and used in music videos so that viewers will buythese products.

AUDIENCE RECEPTION

• The Audience reception would be good as there wouldn’t be any oppositional reading as there are different storylines to the video and there is also a meaning to the video. So it would be accepted by most viewers.