New Justice Video - "Stress" (Kanye West Premiere)
Kanye's crushing it with his music blogging, you guys. Today he just posted an EXCLUSIVE Justice video for "Stress" on his Connect 4/fashion/music blog! Between this and the EXCLUSIVE still shots from Kanye West videos, he's developing an unrelenting monopoly on all things Justice and Kanye West related. We won't compete, but we will tip our caps in thanks to Mr. West (and to tipster Galen R.) for helping us bring you the latest in a long line of shit-kicking Justice videos. In "Stress," though, the shit-kicking is all too literal: This clip is a high-definition faux-documentary of an afternoon with Paris's most violent Justice fans (except apparently they cannot stand "D.A.N.C.E."). It's jarring, and cool, and rated † for extremely un-Christian behavior.
(via Kanye West blog)
Sweet jackets, Justice. Can we buy them? † is out. Don't stop making videos for it, please.
Posted at 6:18 PM in Video
Tags: Justice
great representation of black youth
Posted by: TT at May 1, 2008 6:32 PM | ReplyScore = -5
Reminded me a lot of Matthieu Kassovitz' shocking 1997 drama "La Haine," about the civil unrest and unruly violence in the lower class minorities of Paris. However, I sincerely hope that the makers of this video weren't trying to show how "cool" this lifestyle was.
With that said, I now see my least favorite track of † in a whole new light.
Posted by: Devin at May 1, 2008 6:57 PM | ReplyScore = 2
Come on, Stereogum, i tought you had some blog ethics ?!?
Posting a video with gratuitous violence (and a cheap take on Clockwork Orange) won't do you any good.
Posted by: Armando Alves at May 1, 2008 7:13 PM | ReplyThe whole thing is a purely degrading experience, with no point whatsoever rather to cause controversy. Nice role model Justice is becoming, by promoting a message of violence.
Score = -15
look, i'm not saying i didn't hate most of it, but it is way more than what you characterize it as, and least of all a "cheap take on clockwork orange". on the one hand, you could read it as a hateful attempt to rub salt in your worst fears and most subsumed prejudices about youth or the poor. to associate this song (and the audience it found, against their will) with violent revenge fantasies and perverse feelings of powerlessness is, like it or not, is a shocking, stabbing attempt to relate the most pressing current global issues in very little time. this shit is going on all the time around you, any way you want to take that, but it's usually only addressed in 5000 word book reviews or maybe as an aside in some hbo drama that's more talked about than it was ever watched.
the worst mistake you can make is to think it's judgment-free, in itself or in the posting. you can play dan quayle and be like, "the preceding depiction of events is the cause of the events on which is was based" or you can put some fucking thought into it and figure out why you're so upset.
Posted by: fang in reply to Armando Alves's comment at May 2, 2008 1:35 AM | ReplyScore = 11
No one is promoting a message of violence--think of it as social commentary.
Great video in my opinion, definitely changed how I feel about that track.
Posted by: Ben at May 1, 2008 7:19 PM | ReplyScore = 4
No one is promoting a message of violence--think of it as social commentary.
Great video in my opinion, definitely changed the way I feel about that track.
Posted by: Ben at May 1, 2008 7:19 PM | ReplyScore = 1
What the hell??! What is the point of this video?!
Posted by: Will at May 1, 2008 7:22 PM | ReplyScore = 0
i think the idea was: "let's make a video that stresses people out"
Posted by: ben in reply to Will's comment at May 2, 2008 3:47 AM | ReplyScore = -2
video fucking ruled.
Posted by: matt b at May 1, 2008 7:22 PM | ReplyScore = 0
A.W.E.S.O.M.E
Posted by: guyha at May 1, 2008 7:47 PM | ReplyScore = 0
I have mixed feelings... The opening was a blatant rip off of Aphex Twin's "Come To Daddy"... sub creepy children with thugs. It was cut well, shot well, and the overall production value was great.
My overall feeling is that this is glorified eye candy and I too hope that they weren't trying to make this a serious social commentary... It only comes of as glorifying the actions of it's subjects.
Posted by: Tim at May 1, 2008 7:48 PM | ReplyScore = -1
i thought this thing ruled.
Posted by: jetblak22 at May 1, 2008 8:02 PM | ReplyScore = 0
This is about as ethical or offensive as a Grand Theft Auto game. Its entertainment! Settle down. I didn't know Jack Thompson trolled this site.
In other news, leather jackets jumped the shark.
Posted by: eric at May 1, 2008 8:04 PM | ReplyScore = -2
looooooved it
Posted by: colbert at May 1, 2008 8:08 PM | ReplyScore = -1
Speaking of videos, this one made me cry, its like 2 girls 1cup for musicians...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4wzOGYoVKa4
Posted by: Grosnij at May 1, 2008 8:13 PM | ReplyScore = -3
ha! this is MAN BITES DOG all over again. super good tribute to a super good French film.
Posted by: elegantbastard at May 1, 2008 8:22 PM | ReplyScore = 1
ha! this is MAN BITES DOG all over again. super good tribute to a super good French film.
Posted by: elegantbastard at May 1, 2008 8:25 PM | ReplyScore = -1
Jesus, that's disturbing.
Posted by: Marrrisa at May 1, 2008 10:47 PM | ReplyScore = 7
making-of video, please?
Posted by: ben at May 1, 2008 11:38 PM | ReplyScore = 1
ehh... typical
Posted by: madonna at May 2, 2008 1:16 AM | ReplyScore = -2
Pointless.
Posted by: ehhhhh at May 2, 2008 2:00 AM | ReplyEnough with the boring music to do coke to.
Score = -3
Reminds me of an Andy Samberg digital short.
Posted by: Stop Okay Go at May 2, 2008 2:51 AM | ReplyScore = 2
clockwork orange and the warriors were better
Posted by: Elan at May 2, 2008 3:08 AM | ReplyScore = 0
I believe that Devin is right. It appears to based upon "La Haine" You can go here to get the synopsis of the film. I highly recommend it for anyone who has not seen it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Haine
Posted by: Greg at May 2, 2008 8:58 AM | ReplyScore = 2
pffft, typical christian behavior
Posted by: pfffffft at May 2, 2008 10:52 AM | ReplyScore = 2
How timely with the release of GTA this week.
Posted by: ibeat at May 2, 2008 11:22 AM | ReplyScore = 1
Slightly unrelated, does anyone know if GTA IV has custom soundtracks, Justice obviously wants you to shoot hookers to their music.
Posted by: StickScore = 4
this video changed my life. now I'm typing this from prison because I thought I could do the things I saw on the interwebs. what kind of justice is that justice? damn.
Posted by: minorrockstar at May 2, 2008 5:26 PM | ReplyScore = 2
video viewable here:
Posted by: killachikahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOP0IECS2FY&eurl=http://www.anthemmagazine.com/story/448
Score = 0
stressed out is basically how I felt watching this thing. it's pretty f*ing scary, in my opinion.
how long until it only makes it into late night tv rotation?
i guess we can start calling them the *new* Chemical Brothers now. Anyone remember the video they made about street rioting, at the end it was a cola ad? "Out of control", I think it was. Pretty cool video.
Posted by: d33r at May 3, 2008 7:11 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Please...
Posted by: zion at May 4, 2008 6:14 AM | ReplyScore = 0
If you can't separate what you would do in real like from say, what you see in a music video. Seeing a music video that is violent won't suddenly spark you into a fit of violence. You're probably going to do it anyway. Stop your blithering about "OHHH no, more violence." The world is violent, and it's NOT because JUSTICE put a music video out that was violent. There are about a hundred other reasons why the world is violent. If you watch the video for what it is, maybe you'll catch one of them. Or perhaps some of you want another Spears video to make all our daughters whores.
Posted by: Justin Smith at May 4, 2008 11:20 AM | ReplyScore = 0
All this video does is aestheticize violence. If anyone thinks there's social commentary here, then they have grown accustomed to shallow art. Kassovitz's film La Haine (which someone compared this to) actually shows street youth with deep personalities and portrays violence as something more than a cool image of a bottle breaking on someone's face.
Re: Justin's comment, no, violence like this does not exist. There is no world where kids in nice, matching leather jackets rollick through Paris all day breaking shit and beating people up with techno music playing in the background. Can I find a reason why there is violence in the world? No -- I've only found that burning cars look really cool when I'm listening to Justice.
Posted by: Greg at May 4, 2008 12:08 PM | ReplyScore = 1
i would beat the shit out of every single one of those little baggers. promise.
Posted by: Matt at May 5, 2008 6:56 PM | ReplyScore = 1
ATTN: Losers on the Internet
Stop trying to look for meaning in a music video. It just looks cool.
Posted by: That Guy at May 6, 2008 1:37 PM | ReplyScore = -1
Kind of reminds me of Fight Club, the needless, purpose-less violence. That said, I certainly hope all this was staged for the video.
Posted by: Ray at May 6, 2008 10:35 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Cute jackets :) video is just a documentary. no one will ever say that modern wars are caused by discovery showing horrible ww II massacres, right? i don't think that this video was intended to be seen in a different way then that.
Goes with the tune, so works for me :) wanna see what they'll do for sebastian's "dog" :X
Posted by: woot at May 8, 2008 10:50 AM | ReplyScore = 0
Shallow marketing from a two-bit DJ outfit. How much did they pay these kids to wear their stupid jackets and make the band another handful of cash all the while
promoting more violence for under-privileged uneducated poor kids from the projects.
Isn't this NYC wild'ing all over again? It would be different if it was just a short film. But it's a blatant marketing ploy. Very irresponsible business.
Posted by: BL at May 14, 2008 2:10 PM | ReplyScore = 0