My Favourite Music Video: Top filmmaker Simon Cahn tells us about Ludacris' Get Back

Date
7 April 2014
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Remember that amazing animation of a skeleton running through the shelves of a bookshop commissioned by handbag-maker and book-lover Olympia le Tan? Simon Cahn worked with Spike Jonze on that masterpiece, and has since been making a whole bunch of incredible films for the likes of NOWNESS, Hanni el Khatib and Hermès. Simon’s a pretty cool guy, and a loyal one too it turns out – for his favourite music video he’s picked a somewhat overlooked piece of work from the Spike Jonze back-catalogue. I don’t know about you but I always forget how hilarious Ludacris is.

Simon Cahn: Ludacris – Get Back directed by Spike Jonze

Wow. My favourite music video! It’s a difficult question to answer as I have far too many favourites! But I’ll give you this one for fun – Ludacris’ Get Back (if you ask me tomorrow my answer would probably be different). Why Get Back? Because it’s the perfect take on the classic rap music video, in fact it’s like an over-the-top, funny parody of your everyday rap video. It has all the hip hop clichés you’d want plus flying people, gigantic arms, wall breaking, kids dancing, fire, dogs, etc.

It’s just a really fun video. It’s almost like a Spike Jonze mega-best-of in one single video. And no, I’m not going to start a Jonze thesis, but if you look closely it has all the proper elements of his work in music videos.

What I also really like is the contrast between high production value effects and the lo-fi aspect of it. The video is not trying to be over-the-top, it’s all about derision and fun, and that’s what makes it so special. It looks very simple and classic, but has a lot of small but great ideas scattered all over it. And watching Ludacris screaming to a crew of dogs is so random. It’s brilliant. I love it.

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Ludacris: Get Back, directed by Spike Jonze

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Ludacris: Get Back, directed by Spike Jonze

Above

Ludacris: Get Back, directed by Spike Jonze

Above

Ludacris: Get Back, directed by Spike Jonze

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About the Author

Liv Siddall

Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

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