Weather you think Kanye West is a visionary or an asshole, his new music video is worth a watch. Clocking in at 34:32 minutes, I would classify this work as more of a musical short film than a "music video." When I think of a rap music video, I usually envision big guys in baggy clothing and tiny girls in little clothing dancing provocatively to some nonsensical lyrics, usually while money and alcohol are thrown around in some sort of display of wealth and status. While there is dancing involved, the "Runaway" video seems to include the exact opposite of what I would expect.
While Kanye West certainly likes to show off, there is no doubt that their is more to this film than girls and money. West tackles issues of race, relationships, love, lust, innocence, and power in a slew of dramatic and elegantly staged scenes with a collection of exciting new songs. And lest I forget to mention his amazing wardrobe, the likes of which we could all stand to learn something from when it comes to pulling off a great tux.
Though his acting chops could use a little work, and the story is a little outlandish, I like the idea of a music video epic. Why not make one film that encompasses every song on an album to set a tone for the record by telling a real story? So far I'm intrigued by Mr. West's little experiment and will look forward to his upcoming album and future videos.
