Music Video
There are two official versions of the video, both directed by Hype Williams and shot in Vancouver and Mexico City. It is notable for making use of a blue-hue effect in numerous shots with overt noir and neo-noir influences in many shots. The first version is the original video (which has an alternate version itself) and the second version is the Dance Version, which was only aired on BET.
The original video version starts off with a Blade Runner-inspired environment and imagery of Ashanti's face depicted on a skyscraper—similar to a scene in Blade Runner. In addition, there is a scene where she is sitting down on a seat while smoking as she appears to be watching something through a projector—again, a shot similar to that of a scene in Blade Runner. The rest of the video features Ashanti in various situations, posing and wearing a variety of outfits. In one scene, Ashanti is in the shower and in another she is inside a cocoon-like lamp as air gushes from beneath, creating a vacuum effect - reminiscent of the scene in Blade Runner where Zhora goes to dry her hair inside a clear, fishbowl-like dryer. The video ends with her and a group of female dancers performing the song in concert. Bottles of Herbal Essences hair products can be seen during the shower scene as Ashanti was the then-new spokesperson for the haircare company.
7 Aurelius, who co-wrote and produced the song, makes a guest appearance at the beginning and at the end of the video playing the guitar.
The original version is shot in widescreen format but the slots that are normally left black at the top and bottom of the screen were replaced with upside down or reversed images of the main shot in the middle of the screen, which flickered back and forth to give the illusion that two scenes were playing at once. The alternate version had the scenes shown in regular widescreen format with the shots and the top and bottom of the screen plain black.
The Dance Version of the video consisted of the dance scene that is also shown at the end of the original video, with Ashanti and the back-up dancers dancing throughout the whole video. 7 Aurelius makes a cameo appearance in this version as well at the beginning and at the end of the video as the guitar player. Director Hype Williams featured his signature style of widescreen format in this version of the video also, except the slots that are normally left blank at the top and bottom of the screen were replaced with upside down or reversed images of the main shot in the middle of the screen.
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Famous quotes containing the words music and/or video:
“The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions. But there is also, it seems to me, a moment at which democracy must prove its capacity to act. Every man has a right to be heard; but no man has the right to strangle democracy with a single set of vocal chords.”
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965)
“We attempt to remember our collective American childhood, the way it was, but what we often remember is a combination of real past, pieces reshaped by bitterness and love, and, of course, the video past—the portrayals of family life on such television programs as “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best” and all the rest.”
—Richard Louv (20th century)