Jay-Z- '99 Problems' video analysis

During the video for '99 Problems' there are many characteristics related to the genre of Hip-Hop. 

These characteristics consist of the use of guns, balaklavas, graffiti, suitcase of money/drugs in car boot (x-ray shot), police search, run-down urban area (Brooklyn), girls in bikinis, baseball cap/baggy jeans/hoodie, 'bling and street dancing. Many of these connoting a criminal or 'gangsta' lifestyle.

During the video there are also intertextual references to the record labels of which Jay-Z is a member of. The record label DefJam Recordings is referenced by featuring the founder, Rick Rubin, throughout. 

Another reference to Jay-Zs career is the 'diamond' hand symbol which is made by various people throughout the video. This is a reference to Jay-Zs own record label 'Roc-A-Fella Records' which plays on the name of an early 20th century American billionaire by the name of John D Rockefeller and uses the 'roc' to describe a diamond. The diamond' hand sign is used in many of Jay-Zs music videos and live performances. The 'diamond' hand sign has also been adopted by  artists such as Kanye West, Rihanna and Rita Ora, all of whom are signed/managed by either Roc-A-Fella Records or Jay-Zs newest record label, Roc Nation.

Rick Rubin

'Diamond/Roc' hand sign

During the video there is voyeuristic treatment of women. Although this is common within Rap/Hip-Hop music videos, women are only slightly featured within the video, only showing up in a few shots. There could be two reasons for this; one of these reasons being that Jay-Z has many problems but 'a bitch ain't one' relating to the lyrics of the song. Another reason for the small amount of voyeurism of the female body could be to withold Jay-zs 'Good Guy of Rap' image which has helped him gain the level of success and popularity he is now at.