The Roots “What They Do” Video

The video’s creation was motivated by the everyday flood of videos that all seem to echo the same once-successful concepts, look, and film techniques—especially in rap and R&B. Through standard scenarios seen in dozens of music videos, the Roots band performed in each scene as ambivalent narrators. Candid word graphics were added to magnify each clichéd scene, creating a “how-to” of music video-making. The effect is to entertain, enlighten, and hopefully motivate bands and record companies to challenge themselves in coming up with new ideas.