Dizzee Rascal

 Dream Music Video Analysis

His music video begins with a camera shot of pastel coloured alphabet blocks which is a reference to childhood which subverts the stereotypical expectations of a hip-hop/rap and grime music video that would generally showcase money and sexualise women and their bodies. The second shot is of an old woman seated at the piano who could be interpreted as someone who is from the upper class. 

Next, Dizzee is seen emerging from a music box as a miniature figure which could imply that the old woman views black people as inferior to her. Many binary oppositions are also present in this music video in regards to the woman and Dizzee Rascal which at times show the hierarchies of power in society. Despite his success she still manages to retain power as he gets back into the box at the end.

 A stereotypical scene is shown when a camera shot is showing the puppets graffitiing the wall and causing trouble for the police which implies how reckless the younger generation is. When Dizzee raps, "Not knowing for reality that I'd have to prepare 'cause money don't grow on no stick," this emphasises how despite reaching a high status of fame, money never lasts forever but only for an amount of time. The music video has a grey undertone which creates an old-fashioned theme. 

There are many props used throughout his music video with various hidden meanings such as when he begins to use the microphone at the point when he raps about discovering music. The microphone has connotations to power as his voice can now be heard (literally and metaphorically), this signifies a move away from rebellion and towards achieving his dreams and becoming a respected member in society. 

The main narrative and message of the song is the constant battle of the hierarchy between black and white people and how the older woman is clearly seen as bigger and more respected. The woman is seen staring down at the puppets, who are representations of the youth. 

In the music video it is emphasised that the older woman is someone from the upper class whilst Dizzie is portrayed as being from a lower class. This is shown through their contrast in outfits, for example Dizzie is wearing a red hoodie which connotes his rebellious and wild behaviour. The red could also represent danger or crime which many people associate with young people. The woman uses dainty gestures whereas Dizzee used flashy gestures representing their difference in  culture. The neighbourhood also shows a stereotypical view of the youth and how people perceive young people to be  also in the music video and Dizzzie is the only one seen without strings which could imply he is rebellious and defiant.

Another aspect of the music video is her facial expressions which are quite significant because in the music video she displays some uncomfortable facial expressions and body language. This could represent her lack of understanding or empathy for Dizzie’s circumstances and could possible reflect on some mainstream views and feelings on race. The multiple scenes of illegal activity throughout the music video shows typical representations of young black men as being involved in crime.

When this video was released there was many worries and concerns with anti social behaviour especially with young teenage boys. As a result of this the government tried to put a ban on people wearing hoodies. Therefore, this video reflects the context of the fears in the 2000’s of young people’s behaviour in society. Later on, the hoodie became associated with crime and was seen as a symbolic code for young people that weren’t going to follow the rules.

The Dream music video subverts some of the common stereotypes of youth, class and ethnicity in some places. We see this particulars towards the end of the music video when he’s seen a a positive role model when he’s dancing and singing and talking about his success. Dizzie is a character in this video who challenges the ideas and stereotypes of his ethnic group. As a young black man stereotypically people view black people especially men as always struggling and not having much to offer. Furthermore, when the woman is seen to be smiling and nodding at Dizzee this encourages the audience to see him as an approved role model.    

A key scene is when he’s in the music studio and the radio station and the police are outside but they can’t get in and are banging on the windows. This could be suggesting that  Dizzee Rascal’s relationship with the pop and grime genres has protected him from being the victim of racial violence.  Later on, we see the policemen dancing with Dizzee and the puppets which could symbolise how music has kept him safe and brought everyone together. Also, this could signify that music can overcome barriers of race, class and age.

The women is a character that challenges the stereotypical views of gender in some ways. She is portrayed as being dominant and powerful, with control over Dizzee. However, she is also seen as as well behaved and nice in contrast to him which is seen as more of a  conventional representation of women. 

Lastly, the content of this music video could be linked to the ideology of Postcolonism created by Paul Gory. The idea of Postcolonism states that despite us not having colonies anymore representations of certain groups are still affected by that time. It is linked to Dizzee Rascal’s music video because he express the way young black people are still being portrayed and represented as a specific way which is in a negative stereotypical way despite what we are truly like. This has been affected from years ago of how certain group are perceived and still are seen to be.