Tag: Definite & Bling

Definite & Bling “Like That”

2004-definite-and-bling-like-thatThe Sky Tower has featured in music videos since Rikki Morris performed in front of the under-construction concrete pillar in 1995. It mainly shows up in the background of an Auckland cityscape shot, but never before has it been such a major part of the music video like it is in “Like This”.

The video opens with Base FM DJ Jason Eli giving a cool introduction to the song, then we find Definite & Bling on the streets of Auckland central at night.

Wherever they are, the Sky Tower is somewhere in the shot. Sometimes its a distant speck of light, other times they’re standing right at its base. There’s no clue in the lyrics why the Sky Tower should play such a big part in the video (it’s a generic good-time hip hop song). Given that no other humans can be seen on the empty streets of Auckland where Definite & Bling roam, maybe it’s just a declaration that they, along with the Sky Tower, own the town.

At the end of the video they leave the Sky Tower and venture indoors to a hip hop club where they rock the house. Proof, perhaps, that the lords of the Sky Tower can also mingle with the masses.

Best bit: the girl in the club who has a very concerned look on her face.

Director: Ivan Slavov
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision

Next… pool party!

Definite & Bling “Jump Up”

2004-definite-and-bling-jump-upDespite sounding like the name of a small Grey Lynn fashion label, Definite & Bling were a hip hop duo and “Jump Up” was the first of their two NZ On Air-funded videos.

The video is pretty lacklustre. It’s animated, but done very basically. So there are lots of repeated shots and really simple scenes that look like the result of first-year polytech assignment work.

The song itself is pretty lively with a good groove to it, but the video ignores the potential in that and sets the action in a TV game show. There’s little entertainment value in frequent shots of a flashing “APPLAUSE” sign or looking at a TV camera filming the show. The muddy brown palette of the animation just further sucks the life out of it. It’s like he 1980s never happened.

The game show appears to involve the contestants answering questions, yet not only can we not hear what they’re saying, the animation isn’t advanced enough to having moving mouths. It ends up being a succession of heads nodding. So boring.

Ultimately there’s only one test: is this video more interesting than a random game show video from YouTube? Well, I can definitely say that the Japanese human Tetris game show is way more entertaining. Zero points to Definite & Bling. They get one more chance with their second video. Let’s hope they raise their game.

Also of note: this video was one of the first to receive the additional $1500 grant from Positively Wellington Business’s Made In Wellington scheme, which required the video to be produced in Wellington.

Best bit: the unveiling of the low-rider prize, a break from the tedium.

Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision