Recent Video: Rihanna – “Hard”

Over the course of this blog I will make no small secret of my deep deep love for Rihanna. I didn’t like her much when she first came out, this shiny young island girl with catchy, albeit unremarkable, dance hits. But I really like watching her grow over time; her hair keeps getting shorter, she is slowly covering herself with tattoos, and her videos keeping pushing certain envelopes.

“Hard” is another in a line of Rihanna’s “I’m sexy in my own way” type videos (see also: Disturbia). It’s been an interesting year for the songstress, personally, professionally and artistically, and it seems only fitting to end ’09 by debuting a video this brutal. While it’s not my favorite song or video of hers, I do think it touches upon some valid themes for a young woman in the spotlight.

The video starts with Rihanna showing you just who is in charge. Not only is it literal – she’s ordering about a bunch of plainly styled male soldiers – but even the wardrobe reflects it. Those shoulders! The stiff, commanding cut of the jacket-thingy! The brilliant ivory color! She plays with a kind of outrageous wardrobe the whole video (although she does that pretty much every video…egads I adore this girl), sporting cuts that are sexy but still authoritative. Later, it’s a metal strapless bra, in another shot garters with knife sheaths, and in yet another a shrapnel helmet…with Mickey Mouse ears. She holds the cards, she sports the spikes and the war paint, she declares victory. There might be some discussion over the pink battle tank she straddles later in the video, but I think dig it. She’s taking something that is iconically masculine, and making it hers. It’s like what she is, a mix of pretty and tough. And even though the song features a well-known rapper, Young Jeezy, who normally does the typical rap video of boobies and bling, in this video he sits on the ground, in the dirt and dust, like the rest of the men in the video. Girl power!

For another interesting analysis, with screen grabs to demonstrate, check out one of my favorite blogs’ take on it: Jezebel – “Hard” Times: Analyzing Rihanna’s New Video. Otherwise, enjoy the video:

Rihanna – “Hard”

Considering chopping off all my hair so I can rock it like that,
Sprinks

Advertisement

~ by Sprinks on 20/12/2009.