“Nuthin But A ‘G’ Thang” stood out among a decade-long array of flashy films with big budgets and fish-eye lenses as an exception – its madcap brilliance by Hype Williams stood out, marking an inflection point for its age.
Mobb Deep from The Bronx revolutionized 1990s hip hop with this video that transformed it into an action flick. It instantly captured public imagination and remains one of the most creative uses for record label scratch.
1. Busta Rhymes – “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See”
Rappers have always been notoriously creative artists, but during the 90s this artistic form took on new dimensions. Harold “Hype” Williams pioneered this field; many of his hip hop music videos from that era remain iconic masterpieces.
Busta Rhymes appears in the video for his track “African Prince,” dressed as an African prince and enjoying life like any pampered prince should. The cool-toned backgrounds pulsate and shapeshift to reflect the effortless flow of his music, which also features Flavor Flav (who may not be the greatest rapper, but certainly knows how to make videos stand out). Furthermore, Flavor Flav can often be found joining Busta Rhymes onstage to add his flair and make any video standout!
This video from the late ’90s stands out for its tribute to Eddie Murphy’s 1988 movie Coming to America. According to Busta Rhymes and the Flipmode Squad, while watching and recording the song they heard that it had an African sound – leading them to create this classic video with its royal theme.
Xzibit’s surreal music video for his track, “Exile on Main St.” helped establish him as a leading West Coast rapper. Though it appears as though they filmed in one take – something which would be amazing! – the video features all sorts of weird antics including a dance battle between two men dressed like gangstas as well as an unforgettable scene where an attractive woman rides her bike into a parked car, totalling both herself and it.
Missy Elliott’s offbeat, surreal lyrics made her video an instant classic. Its whimsical charm perfectly suited her soaring vocals; not to mention, who could forget Missy’s iconic inflatable garbage bag suit which became one of the most instantly recognisable features ever featured in any music video!
2. Missy Elliott – “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”
At the top of our list of hip hop music videos from the 1990s stands one of the most iconic clips ever. Onyx was known for their high energy performances and this video showcased it brilliantly – crowd surfing shots, moshing sessions and some incredible screaming at camera! America adored Onyx!
Busta Rhymes and Hype Williams may seem an unlikely pairing, but their collaboration was an extraordinary success. Williams took hip-hop imagery to new levels with his innovative use of fisheye lens photography; showing people it’s possible to make dance tracks look cool; even adding in some mermaids for good measure!
“Humpty Hump” is an off-center and unself-conscious rap moment you don’t often come across anymore (as gangster rap’s self-seriousness started to wear away its appeal). A bizarre parody inspired by Loony Tunes that doesn’t feel like it should work but somehow does so effortlessly; featuring young Tupac Shakur as well, making this truly unmissable!
Gangster rap albums wouldn’t be complete without at least one video that matches its aesthetic. While Dre’s video for “Praise You” might not have been as thought-provoking as some of his earlier work, it remains timeless and memorable.
Shootn in New York City undercover, this video is both entertaining and significant. Cypress Hill shows their pride for their city as they ride through it dancing on rooftops and street signs as they go. Plus they include some funny extra scenes (such as red-hot girl riding her bicycle into a parked car!) just for good measure!
3. Juvenile – “Ha”
The 1990s marked an incredible period of expansion for hip hop culture. While Dre’s production on Ready To Die and GZA’s soulful vocals on Wu-Tang Forever were prominent car speakers at that time, rappers needed more than just rhyme over beats to build followership; music videos provided artists an additional visual tool for cultivating iconic superstars based on presence and personality.
Missy Elliott first gained prominence as a singer-songwriter, but this Hype Williams-directed visual transformed her into a front-facing star with her own creative identity. Right from the outset, this cartoon-like visual brims with concepts that would later become hallmarks of Missy’s creative style: women supporting other women, empowering messages and on-trend yet future-forward fashion choices – hallmarks that would define Missy for years after this video’s debut.
No opening shot could possibly top this one – two white girls in fringe jackets staring down a hallway at a female wearing gold attire, before Sir Mix-A-Lot comes rapping out behind two ladies wearing gold outfits and standing on what could only be described as buttock pyramids – before continuing his madness with flashes of words and fruit posed like butt cheeks; measurements; measurements to a mermaid; all this happens quickly before moving onto something completely unexpected like flashbacks of measurements; measurements; even flashbacks; then there’s Sir Mix-A-Lot rapping behind ladies wearing gold ensembles until Sir Mix-A-Lot’s next verse drops before ending this clip comes in full force; from there is chaos until end game is reached with some sort of measurements; ultimately Sir Mix-A-Lot rapping behind lady after lady after standing rapping behind lady in gold ensembles standing behind ladies wearing gold ensembles from behind the beat drops, then Sir Mix-A-Lot is standing behind these buttock pyramids before all madness ensues never ends, flashes words and fruit placed into butt cheek cheeks as measurements are taken as measurements taken, then finally we come full stopping off with Sir Mix-A-Lot performing his performance from start to end, all sorts of flashbacks (plus even measurements a mermaid comes into play with his words like butt cheek cheeks standing behind these buttock pyramids, with measurements, measurements taken up front then stood next to stood and standing up front and stood there, on top rapping on top and more rapping at last and more flashbacking back onto butt cheek cheeks in full on as butt cheek cheek cheek cheek cheek cheek cheek cheek ast lots more madness ensues in full voice off to his verse and more!) to complete chaos! All.
Before Puff Daddy and other superstars spent millions on videos, Atlanta R&B trio TLC was making music that mattered through this deeply personal video. Not only was the clip popular with viewers but it helped push back against any notion that rap had gone too far into exploitative territory with its war imagery, drug dealing themes, and AIDS-related images. Furthermore, time stamps appeared seemingly at random throughout the clip which served more as commentary rather than just showing us passage of time.
4. Eminem – “Loyalty”
Eminem’s epic tale of loyalty and betrayal remains one of the top selling hip hop videos of the 90s, making an indelible mark with viewers around the world. Shot in a warehouse full of red lights, smoke, and flickering candles, the clip depicts two couples caught up in an unstable love triangle between one couple (Rapper), an infamous gangster (killing many to protect his turf), with visuals that provide stark contrast to lyrics that could only bring sadness.
One unique aspect of this video, set apart from many of its blinged-out productions during this decade’s hip hop, was its director being non-rapper. Renowned filmmaker and USC graduate David Lapham directed it and its style pays homage to Hollywood glamour while at the same time communicating the song’s message of unflinching loyalty despite betrayal.
Rihanna and MC collaborated extensively on her debut album to produce this chart-topping anthem that became the cornerstone of its popularity, featuring dark and brutal lyrics that reflect the pressures associated with fame, while its visual reflects 1990s action movie aesthetic. Rihanna and MC act as antiheroes against SWAT team assassins using missiles and backflips.
A selection of great hip hop music videos from the 1990s would be impossible, but this one stands out. KRS-One excels at conveying urban living’s tension and his mini movie-in-your-ears provides a searing indictment against money-chasing while simultaneously inspiring hope through survival and redemption.
5. Mobb Deep – “Quiet Storm”
Mob Deep from Queens rapped about their struggle for territory in this eye-catching clip from 1993, featuring tons of street shots that still look fresh today. Snoop Doggy Dogg made calls from his bed, toilet seat and expressway overpass to his buddies in bed, toilet seat and expressway overpasses; at his parents’ house where Dre and crew joined them to blast away with loads of weed smoke and Tanqueray liquor – this video helped make Mob Deep an iconic name.
By the late ’90s, rap had grown increasingly extravagant as music videos proliferated. A few years before Puff Daddy would shell out $2.7 million for his “Victory” clip, Artificats offered up an alternative take on its excesses in its video for “What They Do.” Using an animated motion feature and intercutting fisheye lens footage with sarcastic subtitles, Artificats successfully exposed hip hop’s false reality depictions by using fisheye lenses interspersed with comically comic subtitles that showed false realities depicted too often depicted within hip hop videos.
Biggie’s “Hypnotize” marked the dawn of Jiggy Era rap videos with its extravagant visuals that included helicopters, speedboat yachts, beautiful women, Cristal and Versace bottles, piles of cash as well as helicopters – not to mention helicopters! Even though its narrative remains somewhat unclear it still manages to deliver all this visual eye candy.
If you loved loud outfits and crazy props, this clip from New Orleans rap crew No Limit’s was sure to please. With its unreserved gangster style and flashy stunting moves that still haven’t been replicated to this day. No Limit proved himself the reigning king of New Orleans’ rap scene before introducing themselves and Master P to America as whole. Additionally, this performance set an unprecedented standard in flashy stunting by setting new standards that remain unmatched even today.