TDE Delivers the Most Creative Music Videos in Hip-Hop
Image courtesy of “WIN” music video by Jay Rock.
TDE delivers the most creative music videos Hip-Hop has seen in the last decade.
Founded in 2004 by Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith in Los Angeles, California; Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is home to some of today’s biggest names in Hip-Hop and R&B. The label is run by Tiffith, along with Terrence “Punch” Henderson and Dave Free, who are co-presidents of the west coast label. The TDE roster consists of Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and ScHoolboy Q. It also includes Isaiah Rashad, SZA, Lance Skiiiwalker, SiR, Reason, and newest signee, Zacari.
TDE embodies the blueprint of what a thriving, successful record label looks like. It’s a label that transcends limits in the quality of their music; but also pushes the envelope when it comes to their music videos. The artistic, top-notch visuals TDE produces are a direct reflection of the dedication and passion they put behind their projects. They’ve collaborated with several talented, notable directors such as Dave Meyers, Director X, Nabil, Karena Evans, and Alexandre Moors.
Many of the label’s videos are directed by the little homies, which is comprised of Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free. The dynamic duo, who met back when they were teenagers, have grown tremendously as directors over the years.
In an interview with Andres Tardio for MTV in 2015, Free shared the story behind how the little homies came about.
“The Little Homies actually came about one day when me and Kendrick were sitting down at the studio and one of our other videos came on. Everything is always a collaborative effort, so it would have so many names on there. And Kendrick was like, “Yo, we’re from Top Dawg Entertainment — so let’s change the concept of what we do together and let’s make it a brand, something under the TDE umbrella. Why not be The Little Homies?” So, now, when you think of Little Homies, you can think of creatives.”
One of the first music videos the pair filmed and directed was Lamar’s “Ignorance is Bliss” with O.G. Michael Mihail, which appears on Lamar’s 2010 mixtape O(verly) D(edicated). Before that, they shot other videos like “Compton State of Mind,” a record inspired by JAY-Z and Alicia Keys’ hit record “Empire State of Mind”.
From there, the little homies have directed some of the best music videos of the decade. This includes “Alright” with Colin Tilley, “King’s Dead” with Jack Begert, “Humble” with Dave Meyers, “All the Stars” with Dave Meyers; the list goes on. When it comes to collaborating with other directors, their choices are specific and intentional. Free stated in the MTV interview,
“We work with certain people for certain projects. It’s very strategic. When it comes to executing and creating the ideas, we’re not guys who say, “Do whatever.” We’re very much involved. There have been times where people have seen me pick up a camera and I’ll start shooting sh-t myself because I want things done a certain way. We convey that message to anyone we work with, so they know that’s what we expect. And to be honest, we’ve had nothing but positive outcomes.”
“Element,” directed by Jonas Lindstroem and the little homies, beautifully and effortlessly captures Blackness. Several scenes from the video reference work by iconic photojournalist Gordon Parks. The video recreates his 1963 photo “Boy With Junebug, Untitled,” his 1963 “The White Man’s Day Is Almost Over” photo essay about Black Muslims, Parks’ 1948 “Harlem Gang Leader” series, and more.
TDE joins the likes of hip-hop greats like Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes, who’ve created timeless music videos that will forever go down in the books. Lamar has even cited Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes as the inspiration behind his videos and the importance of creating ground-breaking visuals in an interview with Carl Lamarre for Billboard last year.
“I think from the jump it’s always been crucial to me. You know, just being a kid watching BET, I’d be on the phone with Dave — you know my partner that does the videos with me — and we’d be watching Missy Elliott videos back in high school, and Busta Rhymes videos. They were always big inspirations. So by the time we got to the point where we can mass produce visuals on that level, we said to each other “We all in,” and that we’ve been waiting for this moment. So, I think it’s something that always inspired us to do it, just being a student and always appreciating somebody being willing to put full impact and full ideas not only into the songs, but when you’re watching the songs. “
Each visual from each artist, tells a vivid story that brings the record to life. TDE produces video shorts that prompt deep discussions and evoke powerful emotions. Their dedication and incredible vision have led them to receive several nominations and wins for their work. It’s what sets TDE apart from others and why they carry the gold in Hip-Hop music videos.
