Inspiration Found: Give It Up.

Compare Twista’s (featuring Pharrel Williams) video for “Give It Up”:

With that of celebrated Pop Artist Mel Ramos:

“Candy” (1981)

“Five Flavor Funny” (2006)

“Dunkin Donuts” (2006)

^ Featured white girls giving it up.

“Give It Up”s video features clever and cheeky “product placement” for director Hype Williams, Pharrell’s lines of sportswear, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream footwear, and Tomoaki “Nigo” Nagao’s BAPE line (Pharrel’s co-owner and head designer of BBC and Ice Cream). Close music video watchers will notice that visually “Give It Up” is a nice followup to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” also directed by Hype. Twista’s new album, Adrenaline Rush, is expected to drop this summer. Meanwhile, you can catch Pharrell and the rest of N.E.R.D. on tour with Lupe Fiasco and Kanye.

It’s refreshing to hear that Twista’s going back to his Chi-town sound. And that new Neptunes beat is goddamn infectious– I just gotta say where is the love for the Asian ladies?

It’s nice to know that my art degree isn’t going entirely to waste here.