Looking into YG's KickA$$ visuals.

Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson, better known as ‘YG,’ is a highly sought-after Compton rapper and actor. His debut single, “Toot it and Boot it” featuring Ty Dolla Sign, catapulted him straight into the spotlight. This has been sustained through consecutive bangers from “Who Do you Love?” to “Why you Always Hatin?” and my personal favourite, “Big Bank”.

YG currently has 5 Studio albums, with his latest being, ‘My Life 4Hunnid’ released October 2020.

In this article, I shall be exploring two of my favourites YG visuals, both of which have been directed phenomenally by Austin Simkins. I shall continuously support the notion that the seamless execution of these pictorials, has allowed YG to far surpass several of his peers, in his innovation and creativity that shines effortlessly through, namely, ‘Bulletproof’ and ‘Hit Em Up.’

Bulletproof. (feat Jay 305)

YG starts off by @tting 6ix9ine loud and clear.

At the time, it had become increasingly obvious the tensions that existed between the two; this was blatantly visible through the back and forth between the two ensuing on social media. It appeared more tacitly, on YG’s ‘Suu Whoop’ with the line: “I ain’t with the pink-haired Blood sh*t.”

But once the “Bulletproof” video dropped, the subtle hints turned into an obvious indication of where YG stood with 6ix9ine.

The penultimate opening scene albeit humorous, and fuelling the collective energy invested within this beef, displays seriously captivating graphics.

The grainy imagery that aims to exemplify the grimy nature of federal prisons, coupled with an undertaker-like voice over, that is surrounded with the continuous “pedophile” chant from inmates, sounds in writing, quite chaotic. Yet is so visually pleasing, one can almost be shocked at how it was all pulled off.

The obvious satire in the Tekashi caricature definitely amuses the viewers, and the finishing image of the rainbow ‘pedophile’ screen conspicuously proves YG really ain’t with the pink hair blood sh*t.

The official opening scene entrances you instantaneously; the especial ground-up shot whereby you can hear bullets dropping in free-fall on a slightly saturated surface actually took my breath away.

The dust-speckled cinematic previously seen, continues with flashing images of YG; whilst the ongoing main scene of Lambos, Rottweilers and Hard Guys continues to take centre stage.

Hit em Up (ft. D3szn & Day Sulan)

YG's latest drop once again proves, that cinematic excellence, is a definite- in order to execute videos that accentuate YG’s lyricism.

An obvious interpretation of the song’s title centres the video in a boxing ring whereby the boxers are pairing each swing to the beat of the flow. As with Bulletproof, there is the persistent use of flashing images; this time, with an infrared take and a luminous green scene that adds to the volatile nature of a boxing game where you are incapable of anticipating the next move as the video clearly shows.

The entirety of the video appears to be framed around the section of the chorus: “Bang, Bang Bang.”

This is exemplified, in the incessant motion between the boxing ring and supplementary scenes; which include, what appears to be, a break-in with guys in ski masks.

A particularly avant-garde tenet of the video, is D3szn holding a baseball bat that later “shatters” the camera and creates an enticing distortion of the video which continues throughout

selected scenes.

Between the fast-paced movements of the Hot Wheels, and the excited crowd enjoying the boxing game, in addition to a variety of each rapper's compadres, dotted throughout each of their verses, the visual clearly draws on the need for a unified collective to defeat the opps; an almost identical theme to the original by rap legend 2Pac.

YG’s videos have seen an impressive trajectory from his ‘Toot It and Boot It’ days, to some of the best in the game- his clear eye for aesthetic, almost always surrounding his Blood affiliation, can also be seen in his Creative Direction on Day Sulan’s ‘BIG’ Music video, which is also directed by Austin Simkins.

Overall, the paramount theme underlying all YG's work, is a need to expand on the notion of what rap videos pertain to; that they can be more than just luxury cars and BBW’s twerking. For this reason, YG’s visuals are stupendously charming.