Goldie - Inner City Life Textual Analysis

Goldie's 'Inner City Life' explains the pressures of living in an urban area surrounded by problems. It also explores the difficulties people must go through when living in a council estate. The lyrics also suggest the meaning of this video explaining the difficulties the people are faced with 'living free, i long to feel' showing the people just want an escape route. The main character within the video is a single mother struggling to pay bills and support her children, the video focuses on her showing the struggles she is faced with as well as what she wants which is a husband or a man to help her.

The use of the high angle shot of the estate building connotes an unpleasant feeling and showing that estate is uninviting. The Mise En Scene of the video shows the different camera shots of the estate including the people who live there. The shot of the single mother struggling to pay bills in her cramped flat, messy and dirty suggest the realistic views of the working class struggling to survive in this world. The video may also want to show viewers or the audience that this is what the people are going through. The use of the high angle shot of a boy pushing off a trolley from the balcony suggests the different age groups and what they might be going through when faced with the difficulties. The shot connotes the harsh realities of living on an estate and showing once again the realistic approach of stress and anger.

The use of getting rid of pressure is shown in the 'rave' scene where mostly men are dancing and getting rid of their worries and stress by partying is in sync with the lyrics which are being repeated 'Inner City Life, Pressure Take Over Me' shows how they get rid of their stress. The use of the back lighting may also connote the stress and worries they are going through and the neon lights as freeing them from worry.

The Mise En Scene of the rugged effect of the estate shows the lifestyles of the working class or under class and the Marxist's may agree that the message connotes the realistic lifestyles of the working class and their struggles. Marxist would also argue the messages are positive as the children and the old men are happy, however negative as the stereotypical single mother living in a high rise looks miserable as she struggles to pay bills and finally lights up the bills on the balcony.

The text seems to maintain hegemonic controls as the residence of the urban area are black which is a stereotypical representation of black people nowadays. Unchallenged by the masses the video also shows a BMW convertible with a black male in the driver’s seat who seems to be a representation of a person who has made it out of the 'ghetto' but also showing the positive side as people can make it. The video also challenges the hegemonic control as it shows two men passing something to each other which would typically be drugs as it's what's expected but in fact they are passing a CD.

Audience gratifications are evident in the video as the urban setting may appeal to those of the working class status as they can identify with the environment and the need to feel free from its restrictiveness. The upbeat tempo relates to those who enjoy the funky house music scene usually those in their late teens early 20’s. the artist and main singer both being mixed race can therefore appeal to both genders and appeal to people from ethnic minority backgrounds. The artist Goldie does not feature on this track but does appear in the video as the one who blew up the car and wearing a hoodie confirming stereotypes of the people who live on estates or 'hoodies' as being aggressive and violent.

The video's narrative shows growing up in suburbia or an urban area and the pressures of living in the "ghetto" and showing the single mother struggling to pay her bills and the shows of a council estate. The setting and mise en scene shows Goldie is highlighting maybe his childhood or what life is really like showing the hard pressures that people face, the youth, elderly and the challenges that they face. The messages within the text highlight hegemony as the video highlights the subtle indoctrination influencing the manner in which society views the world as we see young adults in the video passing something which the audience believes to be drugs at first but when we look closer it is only a CD. The video is also challenging the hegemonic control as there are little shots which we view to be a negative stereotype as an audience but then looking closely to only be a realistic image of the pressures the characters face an example would be the children playing basketball rather then being on the 'streets' but also confirming hegemonic control by showing a youth pushing a trolley off the roof of a council flat. The target audience for this text is anyone interested in Jungle, Drum & Bass and Garage genres.



Goldie - Inner City Life
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Post Feminism & Feminism - Britney Toxic

Britney's 'Toxic' video shows the different characters within the narrative that explains the different stories of the characters. The first scene in the aeroplane shows the air stewardess as being sexy yet motherly when looking after the child. Britney's lyrics also suggest that she could have a man and that shes flaunting herself towards them. The video has a polysemic reading as the different audience would say she's either flaunting herself and being promiscuous but also showing she is dominant and in control. The lyrics also suggest that it's about taking drugs or getting high as she does poison one of the men in the narrative but her lyrics suggest this too 'Too high Can't come down Losing my head Spinning round and round', Britney may also suggest that she likes the different guy's within the narrative and they're dangerous show she uses 'Toxic' to explain how she feels about them.

The Mise En Scene of the airplane is CGI but the costume shows her as sexy and with her kissing the guy in toilets she is once again flaunting herself but showing the negative side of her video as she can get 'Hot' guys because she kisses a normal everyday man then takes his mask off to reveal a younger fitter man. She sends out negative vibes of her video as she reveals herself to be raunchy, flaunt and sexy; whereas her audience is of a younger age and mainly girls connoting a negative image and meaning. Another scene of her when she is covered in a diamond body suit shows her wealth, sexiness and her body showing she is confident but flaunting herself to gain more audiences showing she has no talent for singing but for just looking attractive. She wears revealing clothing, changes her hair colour and using men to show her sexiness just proves that she uses her body rather than her talent even within the narrative. The use of close ups, high angle shots, mid shot, full body shots and establishing shot shows her body and her costume and promoting her sexiness.

Post Feminism
-Identifies the male gaze showing women assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive
-Subverting stereotypes as she is showing she is in control within the narratives
-Uses her sexuality to identify the female gaze
-She wishes to surpass the male achievements showing she's rather aggressive and in control
-Each occupation emphasises highly sexual behaviour and costumes

Feminist
-Subjects herself to stereotypes
-Capitalises on her sexuality to cash in money
-Provocative clothing show a negative affect on her audience mostly kids to be influenced
-Chameleon effect - uses her image rather than talent
-May reveal low self esteem
-Connoting that women have to flaunt themselves to get people to watch and buy their songs
-Representing the female gaze using men