#theworldneedsmore

MTV VMAs 2014: "Best Video with a Social Message" Nominees

The MTV Video Music Awards are tonight with nominees in categories such as “Video of the Year,” “Artist to Watch,” and “Best Collaboration.”  While “Video of the Year” is the most coveted of all the categories, the award for “Best Video with a Social Message,” is another worthy category to yearn for, because it doesn’t just spotlight the artist, but different causes that are much bigger than one person. Here’s the list of the nominees for “Best Video with a Social Message”:

Angel Haze ft. SIA- “Battle Cry”

  “Battle Cry” by Angel Haze ft. SIA

This song is said to be autobiographical, as it seems to be about Haze’s difficult childhood growing up in a strictly religious home. It depicts different stages through her life that are difficult, as the video begins with her walking up a desert road and encountering a minister lecturing a younger version of herself. This child is then sent off in a car with a man who appears to molest her, and then we are shown a teenage version of Haze who cries and cuts herself. Towards the end, the present Angel Haze is shown writing to cope with her past. “Battle Cry” is about child abuse and trying to cope with an abusive past as an adult. In fact, in the description of the video there is a link to Child Helpline International for those “affected by any of the themes of this video.”

Avicii- “Hey Brother”

“Hey Brother” by Avicii

Even for those who aren’t big fans of country, “Hey Brother” is worth listening to not only because its catchy, but also for its lesson on American history. It’s about the Vietnam War and two boys who become separated because of the war. Towards the end of the video we find out that the two boys are actually father and son and the father, who was a soldier, dies in the war leaving behind his son. The video is a cool tribute to relationships destroyed or changed by war and the people left behind as a result.

Beyoncé- “Pretty Hurts”

“Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé

Perhaps the most popular video of the bunch, “Pretty Hurts” showcases the pressures for a woman to be beautiful and perfect and just how superficial those pressures are. The video depicts Beyoncé taking part in a beauty pageant, while showing the strict and lonely experience of it. In a behind-the-scenes video that Beyoncé released on YouTube for her latest album, she opens up about her song and describes what women go through to be beautiful as “heartbreaking” and questions whether it’s worth the effort. She says:

I had this image of this trophy and me accepting these awards and kind of training myself to be this champion. And at the end of the day when you go through all of these things, is it worth it? I basically starved, I have neglected all the people that I love, I conformed to what everybody else thinks I should be and I have this trophy. What does that mean? [...] Nothing feels like when I look my Husband in the eyes [...] those are the things that matter and at this point in my life thats what I’m striving for: Growth, love, happiness, fun. Enjoy your life, it’s short.

J. Cole ft. TLC – “Crooked Smile”

“Crooked Smile” by J.Cole ft. TLC

Similar to “Pretty Hurts”,  “Crooked Smile” picks up on the theme of questionable beauty standards and celebrates inner beauty. The song celebrates flaws starting with J.Cole’s own “crooked smile,” and has great lyrics like:

We ain’t picture perfect but we worth the picture still [...]/ You wake up, put makeup on, stare in the mirror /But it’s clear that you can’t face what’s wrong; no need to fix/ What God already put his paint brush on.

However, the video not only focuses on flawed beauty perceptions, but also on a flawed nation. The video explores the war on drugs in America, as J.Cole, who is a father in the music video, loses his daughter after a police officer shoots her. Towards the end of the video, when a police officer carries her body outside the “Star Spangled Banner” plays softly in the background. At the end of the video, there is a dedication to Aiyana Stanley-Jones, a 7 year old girl from Detroit who was shot and killed by police during a police raid at her home in 2010. The music video is especially important today in light of the protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the death of the unarmed Michael Brown who was shot six times by a police officer after allegedly putting his arms up as a sign of surrender.

Kelly Rowland- “Dirty Laundry“

“Dirty Laundry” by Kelly Rowland

“Dirty Laundry” touches on Kelly Rowland’s experience in an abusive relationship and finding a path for herself amidst the fame of her former Destiny’s Child bandmate, Beyoncé. The song talks about pain and having “dirty laundry” that you need to hide from the world to appear happy even when you’re not, which is a theme that most can relate to.

David Guetta ft. Mikky Ekko- “One Voice”  

“One Voice” by David Guetta ft. Mikky Ekko

The video for “One Voice” begins with an appeal to raise funds for humanitarian aid. The song celebrates being “one”- despite differences in race, religion and national boundaries- to help those in need in poorer countries. The music video juxtaposes scenes of a raging concert with images of children from third world countries and inspirational hashtags like #hope and #love. The video also promises to donate $1 to aid in countries like Syria and the Philippines for every tweet that uses the hashtags #theworldneedsmore and #yourword.

I’m curious to see which video will win, because all of the messages are very inspiring and it’s hard to choose which one is the best. What do you think of the nominees? Who would you like to win?