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On August 1, 1981, the music world changed forever when MTV debuted the video for The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." From that moment on, teenagers were glued to the television, waiting for their favorite music video to finally air on the first-ever 24-hour music video station.
Decades later, videos have become a normal part of the music industry, and MTV has completely abandoned its original programming. But thanks to other significant technological advancements, rising stars and aspiring rappers have the opportunity to create their own music videos at home. Thanks to the popularity of YouTube, these homemade videos have sometimes captured the attention of millions, leading the original creator to newfound fame. Remember Bobby Shmurda?
If you're planning to create your own rap video, you'll want to read some of these tips. By planning your video and making sure you have all the necessary equipment and props, you can create something totally unique and eye-catching. Pull out your best rapping tracks and get to work!
Before you start planning your rap music video, you absolutely must create a budget. It's very easy to drop too much money on unnecessary items simply because you get caught up in the production process, and you can start making impulsive decisions. You need to determine a reasonable budget that you can afford—you don't want to break the bank for a music video that might not even make it past the computer screens of your grandmother and a few random cousins.
Write down your budget. Use a spreadsheet to write down the items you need to purchase (e.g., videography equipment, lighting, potentially paid actors, props, etc.) and research the average prices for each item you deem necessary. Not every video will require all of the items listed.
You may want to save money by only filming outdoors, meaning you won't need to purchase professional lighting. Perhaps a friend or family member has a nice camera they'd be willing to let you borrow. Try to find ways to save money where possible so you can spend on things like clothes and jewelry.
If you're the main attraction, you shouldn't try to film the video and be in it at the same time. It's way too much work, and you need an outside perspective on how each shot looks or how it can be improved. If you know someone with camera experience, try recruiting them to work on your project.
Some people who participate in your music video may expect to be paid, so be sure to discuss this beforehand and factor payments into your budget. Paying someone with professional videography experience will be worth it in the long run, as the better (and more edited) the video is, the more likely it is to attract attention.
Without a killer song, your music video is going to flop. And the key to a good rap song is the beat. If you already have a handful of songs mixed together, ask your friends for their opinions on the best option for a music video. You want the song that appeals to people the most because it's more likely to be a hit.
If you're still working on music but plan to create a music video in the future, focus on the beat. A creative beat will get everyone nodding their heads. Thoughtful, aggressive, or relatable lyrics also play a major role in the song's reception, especially if you're trying to address a serious topic. However, when it comes to making a radio spot, the beat is the foundation for the song's success. Choose a song that you think will resonate with people and that can also be visually represented.
Every music video needs a script, even if it's vague. The script will bring together all your ideas and help the cameraman and actors know when and what to do. You should write several drafts of your script before finalizing the details and distributing it to your team.
Writing a video script is no easy task, so if you're not a passionate writer, you'll want to enlist the help of your more creative friends. Choose an idea that makes sense for the song you're planning to make the video for and try to focus on eliciting an emotional response from your audience, whether you're making them sad or wanting to celebrate with you and your friends in your video.
A music video that features no one other than the artist is seriously lame. While the video is about you in some ways because it's your song, the video needs to tell a story that relates to what you're talking about in the song.
If the single you've chosen to make a music video for doesn't have a particularly deep meaning (perhaps it's more of a party anthem), it's up to you to make the visuals interesting. People won't care about mediocre lyrics if the beat is upbeat and the video is aesthetically pleasing. But to make your music video and your music the best it can be, you'll need people who are willing to star in it.
The type of people you need will depend entirely on your video's storyline. Start recruiting dancers, actors, and other people to fill specific scenes, and make sure they wear and choose the best hip-hop accessories for the shoot.
The location is one of the most important elements to consider because it will form the backdrop for your entire video. It's important that you make this video your own, especially if you're trying to show why you, as a rapper, are unique. However, here are some ideas for places to shoot a rap video: the local skate park, an abandoned building, near graffiti walls, or in a well-known destination.
For example, Santa Monica Boulevard is a pretty common location to shoot a music video because it's beautiful, there's a lot of action in the background, and it's a place people can relate to. Think about locations in your city or places you can take a day trip to get great shots for your video. You'll probably have several different locations, but try to limit yourself to three areas or less, as filming in every location is hard work.
Okay, you've calculated your budget, assembled your team, and determined your location. Now you need to make sure you have all the necessary accessories to make this video in the best possible quality. You can write a script for a video that includes a dope song, but if the video and audio quality aren't up to scratch, no one will notice.
Find out about your videographer's camera, especially if they're a friend. Make sure they have everything they need to film, and ask about any additional lenses, tripods, or other accessories they might need to get the perfect footage.
If you're not relying on natural light, you'll need to invest in lighting, which is relatively inexpensive but necessary to create quality content. Filming indoors almost always requires a simple lighting setup, but filming outdoors can be done with nothing more than natural light if you film at the right time.
Just because your song is only three minutes long doesn't mean you can film your entire music video in one shot. It's much more likely you'll have to edit the film from multiple takes.
The term "B-roll footage" is used to describe the shots that are used between the main shots to complement the video. In a rap video, B-roll might include slow-motion shots of girls jumping into a pool, friends laughing with each other, close-ups of luxury cars, rows of men's Rolex watches—anything that sets the tone of the video but doesn't interfere with the main shots, which focus on the rapper (or the main character in the video).
Having extra B-roll is important because it allows for additional footage that can be incorporated to make the video long enough and more engaging for viewers.
Half of what makes a great video is the script and the filming. The other half is good editing. If you've never edited a video before, you should spend a lot of time researching and watching other videos on how to edit and which programs to use. Anyone making a rap music video and having a friend with even minimal editing experience can ask for help, as how they cut scenes together and transition between different shots will make or break your video. Try playing around with different programs until you find one that works for you.
Feature it on your Instagram page, share it on Facebook, use YouTube SEO tactics—anything you can do to get the word out about your new video is incredibly important. Ask your friends to share it too, so you can get as many views as possible. Once your video starts getting traction, you might even be able to make money from YouTube ads.
But marketing is hard work, especially for a music video. You need a Facebook and Instagram business account for your rapper page. With a business account, you can use sponsored ads to target people with similar interests. This is one way to expose more people to your new video, but it costs money.
The four traditional pillars of any rap music video are cars, clothes, girls, and bling. Of course, not all rap videos meet all of these requirements, which sometimes sets them apart from others. If this is your first time making a rap music video, you can borrow some of these common elements to adapt to the genre.
Part of hip-hop culture is about putting everyone down by showing off your flashiest, diamond-studded gold chains and most expensive cars, which is why so many music videos feature these material possessions. The purpose of these accessories is to demonstrate a certain level of status and success based on how much money you can spend on trivial items like jewelry and cars.
For your first low-budget rap video, it's unlikely you'll have a whole fleet of expensive Range Rovers and Lambos as spare accessories, but even if you have a friend or family member with a really nice car, you can ask to have it featured in the background and give you some rapper credibility.
Also involve your friends by asking them if they want to be extras in the video that showcases their rap party vibe. Sexy girls and guys wearing expensive jewelry and clothes are just two other motifs you often see in rap videos, but don't feel pressured to follow exactly what other rappers are doing. Let your creativity flow.
Now that you know what it takes to make a rap music video, it's time to dive in and start experimenting. Don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries before you create something truly great—it takes time. For all your rapper chain needs, be sure to check out Emir ICE's collection of chains, pendants, watches, and rings. You'll look like you're flying like hell in your next video.
