Lil Nas X - SUN GOES DOWN

Question 1

The song is from what album?

Answer 1

Second single from MONTERO.

Question 2

Who directed the music video?

Answer 2

The concept of the video was the brainchild of Lil Nas and was co-directed by Psycho-Films.

Question 3

Sun Goes Down- Overview

Answer 3

The song is a reflective track where Nas goes back to his teenage years retrospectively. Touching on loneliness, and struggling with his identity.

Question 4

Lil Nas- Promotion of the music video

Answer 4

Hesmondalgh- marketing campaign.
Series of tweets about how “the song is really special to me”
Before the release, he tweeted a letter to his younger self on twitter about coming out publicly to inspire other queer people.

Question 5

Context: American and LGBTQ rights.

Answer 5

• record number of anti-LGBTQ bills were Introduced

Question 6

When was the song released?

Answer 6

2021

Question 7

Who was the music co-directed by?

Answer 7

Psycho Films

Question 8

The single was released through…

Answer 8

Columbia Records

Question 9

Generic conventions of Lil Nas videos (visual aesthetic)

Answer 9

Uses futuristic or surrealism elements

Question 10

Describe the narrative simply

Answer 10

1. Begins with Nas mediating above water with a galactic backdrop
2. Nas skims through memories
3. Nas enters a memory of him in high school working at Tacobell
4. The scene cuts to him praying in his bedroom
5. Cuts to the prom sequence where he struggles to fit it
6. His older self supports him leading him back to the prom where he dances with friends

Question 11

What is the point of disequilibrium?

Answer 11

The prom sequence where he is surrounded by heteronormative relationships.

Alternatively, the whole narrative is in disequilibrium caused by gender trouble.

Question 12

1) Opening sequence of Nas meditating above water with a galactic background. Media language

Answer 12

Extreme close up of his eye and the white contacts= usually, enigma code, represents him as mysterious.

Extreme zoom out= reveals fantasy realm, compounding his supernatural representation

Question 13

2) Following sequence of Nas sitting in a lotus position controlling the CGI elements

Answer 13

Lotus position, white suit, controlling CGI elements= signifies ideas of spirituality and the higher self.

White suit= Barthesian myth of guardian angel figure.

Silver earring cross= integrates both Eastern and Western religious/philosophies connoting enlightenment

Intertextual reference to water bending= art of fighting with grace/utilising opponents forces against them (enlightenment)

Question 14

How does Nas use binary oppositions to create multiple meanings?

Answer 14

Older self= Monochromatic costuming, white suit, connotes wealth, power, confidence, higher awareness

Younger self= Work uniform signifying working class status, powerlessness. Uniformity.
Bloodied white shirt= symbolic code of pain, suffering, violence

Question 15

3) Intertextual reference to previous work “Panini”

Answer 15

References to a video where he was closeted, represented as a straight macho, aggressive man, suggesting a recognition of this was false persona. Suggesting an identify shift (continuous growth)

Question 16

Synergetic partnership with Tacobell

Answer 16

Nas references his previous work at TacoBell and his current partnership with the brand (autobiographical elements)

Question 17

4) Nas sings to his younger self in an act of comfort

Answer 17

Goodwin’s music conventions of lip syncing. Sings to himself suggesting the videos is a personal message about past and identify. Nas words of advice can be repurposed to his younger audiences and applied to their own lives
(Relatable future- Richard Dyer’s star theory)

Question 18

5) Autobiographical elements (casting his father in the car scene)

Answer 18

Lack of conversation/distant body language connotes a poor relationship with his father.
Voyeuristic shots with which Goodwin’s would call “screens within screens” to signify disconnect

Builds ideas of hegemonic masculinity and inability to create meaningful bonds (relationships that exist under male hegemony)

Question 19

Exploration of featurism and colourism

Answer 19

“Why my lips so big?” “Was I too dark”
Reflects prominent issues within the black community where a certain features are mocked or under-represented in comparison to Eurocentric features. The lyrics and visual performance of him touching his lips create profound messaging

Question 20

Bell Hooks- intertextuality

Answer 20

Intersectionality can be seen as a nurturing force of cultural products that actively challenge oppression. Intertextual is often constructed to…
1. Explore the interconnected nature of pressing
2. Give voices to invisible social groups
3. Celebrate otherness
4. Highlight white male hegemony

Question 21

Reflection of internalised homophobia and Stuart Hall

Answer 21

Hall argues the media contributes to the construction of stereotypes and can be internalised by the marginalised group which can lead to the assimilation of a stereotyped behaviour.
Symbolic code of the prayer hands linking to religious, social attitudes towards queerness. Religion is no longer a congruent or harmonic force
Cultural idea of praying the gay away

Question 22

6) Generic conventions of high school dramas and romances

Answer 22

Signifiers- jock jacket, classroom setting, (May engage younger audiences)

Question 23

Symbolic code of alien key chain

Answer 23

Marginalised status, ostracised, alienated outsider

Question 24

Nicki Minaj and participatory culture

Answer 24

Images of online posts about Nicki Minaj references him anonymously running an online fan page before coming out. (Allows him to express sexuality) by openly referencing this in the magic video connotes his confidence about his sexuality

Question 25

Narrative disruption and the prom poster

Question 26

The prom sequence and gender trouble

Question 27

Final sequence: coming out sequence