Music Video Director Research

Harold "Hype" Williams (Born 1970, Queens, New York)
Hype Williams is an extremely successful video director who originally set out to become a painter, he acted on this by starting a graffiti hobby, which was proved all around Queens on the front of many shops, billboards and playgrounds. He used the graffiti alias; "HYPE". Williams quotes about his graffiti days; "That's probably what stimulated my interest in colour, I wanted to be Basquiat or Keith Hairing of the streets".

Williams began his film making career when he left Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. To create "SOTA" - State of The Art Productions with two of his old graffiti friends. This company also provided many art work covers for a lot of the albums around in that time, generating more fame and income for the company. Williams went on to found his own film company FWA - Film Makers With Attitude. Williams has worked with the late Notorious B.I.G, Nas, Missy Elliot and LL Cool J, and has revolutionized all of their careers due to the success of their videos. In 1998, Williams directed his first feature film, Belly starring DMX and Nas and is about an epic struggle between trying to do what's right despite the situation you are in.
Williams has received numerous awards for his successful and creative work such as; The Billboard Music Video Award for Best Director of The Year, The NAACP Image Award and The B.E.T Award for Best Director for Kanye West - Gold Digga'.

My favorite of Hype Williams work is Lupe Fiascos hit song; Superstar which is about the overrated and overhyped idea of fame and the stereotypical traits that follow it. It became number one on February 19, 2007 and was the debut single from Fiascos second studio album. The video features Lupe Fiasco in a dark room filled with smoke whilst the camera switches between stereotypical famous people stepping out of limousines surrounded by flashes. The song also featured characters that would only be noticed by big Lupe Fiasco fans such as Michael Young History, a metaphoric nickname for Lupe Fiascos supposed "My Cool Young History" alongside the metaphoric characters, The Streets, in the form of a beautiful young woman with dollar signs for eyes, The Game in the form of an intimidating looking 40 odd year old male with gold teeth. These are all metaphoric characters Lupe Fiasco based his album; The Cool on.
Hype Williams has had possibly one of the most successful directing careers to date and is now a multi millionaire due to his hard work ethic, roots of struggle and his love to express colour in a visual, moving form.