Joyner Lucas’s “Keep It 100” shows the evolution of music videos into cinematic storytelling, blending gritty visuals with a very powerful narrative. The video explores themes of underprivileged communities and the complex influence of money, told uniquely through the point of view of a $100 bill. This creative perspective allows viewers to witness the interconnected lives of individuals shaped by a vicious cycle of financial desperation, greed, and survival.

The $100 bill becomes a silent witness to the struggles of marginalized people, passing through hands that range from the hardworking to the corrupt. Each character’s decisions—stealing, helping, or succumbing to vice—paint a raw and authentic picture of systemic challenges in underprivileged communities. Joyner’s choice to use money as a narrative device critiques the moral weight society places on financial worth, exposing how it can both unite as easily as it can destroy.

Visually, the video leans heavily on cinematic techniques—smooth transitions, vivid storytelling, and emotionally charged close-ups of characters. This rise of music videos as short films definitely elevates hip-hop as a medium not just for beats and lyrics, but for profound cultural commentary. “Keep It 100” is a testament to how artists like Joyner Lucas use storytelling to humanize real life societal struggles, creating work that goes much further than the screen.

By blurring the lines between music video, cinematic television, and contemporary cinema, exemplifying a growing trend in visual storytelling, this approach elevates the music video format from promotional content to a legitimate artistic medium. The fusion of high-production visuals, complex narratives, and music bridges the gap between industries, demonstrating how artists like Joyner Lucas are redefining the boundaries of visual and audio storytelling.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

Diane Railton and Paul Watson (2011), ‘Music Video in Black and White: Race and Femininity’, Music Video and the Politics of Representation,

Lecture 7 Slides Music Video, Authorship and Representation

File

Omi. Lu (33754147)