Rihanna - Man Down
The main focus of this video is on Rihanna. This probably isn’t a demand of the record label, but more so that the artist is established, and we know who sings it. Also, it could be to emphasise that the song is all about her; all about something SHE did.
There is a sinister feel over the whole video, showing Rihanna with her hair half covering her face, wearing dark eye make up and hiding in the shadows. This links to the lyrics as the song is about killing a man.
The only lyric that goes with the visuals is when she says ‘pull the trigger, boom’ and smoke appears as she says ‘boom.’
Reggae
Shows her Barbadian roots -> shots of the town, and the man cutting the fruit open for her to drink.
Also, the video contains only black people, which links to the genre, as Reggae is considered black music.
There are also males sporting dreadlocks during the video, which is also linked to reggae music, and the whole Rastafarian lifestyle.
The only intertextual reference I picked up on, was of advertising the Coconut drink, Vita Coco. This was shown throguh many posters, and Rihanna actually drinking a carton in one scene.
Right at the beginning we are looking through the window at the man she is about to shoot. We also see a reversed angle, looking at her from the other side, through the arch.
Slow cuts to go with the slow pace of the song.
In the bit at the beginning, where there’s only music and no words, it sounds like a happy song. During the video at this stage, Rihanna is smiling riding her bike and out in the garden playing with children. However, when the lyrics start, the scene changes to her looking sad, in her bedroom. This goes with the lyrics, as they aren’t happy either.
Also, there is a scene in which both Rihanna and a group of men are dancing in time to the music.