Monday, August 10, 2009

Don't Confuse This With Just Rap Music

"Ya boy is back."

The long awaited, much anticipated, hyperbolicaly hyped Blueprint 3 is ready to be dropped on us like a care package sent from above. Hov has already hit us up with a video for D.O.A., and now he's back at it again. This time he brought a couple friends with him.

Deep in the New York City boroughs of Queens, it is not often you will find loads of heavy camera equipment and crews setting for what seems like preparation of a monumental event. It was, in fact, the area of choice for the filming of Run This Town, a single off of Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 featuring Kanye West and Rihanna.

The iconic three met to shoot the video in Queens Thursday morning (August 6) - the filming, however, did not take place in familiar neighborhoods such as Hollis or Queens Bridge. Instead, history filled the air as cameras rolled in the Civil War site of Fort Totten Park.


The theme for Run This Town seemed to be of rebellious or even militant sorts. As photos of the shoot quickly leak all over the internet, the trio of artists can be seen in black-clad attire; with Rihanna sporting sleek leather shorts and boots - Kanye and Jay beside her disguised behind bandanas and sunglasses.

A setting of warfare - with overturned vehicles and enraged fires - was only complimented by the mass amounts of extras Jay requested to have included in the scenes. It was said over 80 people (also dressed in black) were filmed "rallying the troops," all to support the likes of Hov, Rihanna, and Yeezy. The vision and direction of the video was led by Anthony Mandler.

Blueprint 3 drops on September 11.

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