So I'll start this entry off by saying; I'm not a huge huge huge Jay Z fan. Don't get me wrong I definitely grew up listening to Jay Z, I enjoy a lot of his songs, but not enough to ever want to see him live or anything like that. I think he's a great rapper but a lot of his stuff is either hit or miss with me. A lot of this stems from me not being a HUGE fan of Rap music in general. I listened to "Run This Town" a few times since it leaked online. I will say I like NO I.D. as a producer, he's definitely making his mark. The song itself is sort reminiscent of T.I.'s "Live Your Life"---maybe it's just me. Similar tempo & feel + plus Rihanna is featured on both tracks. It underwhelms me. The video I really like. Anthony Mandler directed it. This year he directed Robin Thicke's "Dreamworld" video, The Killers' "A Dustland Fairytale", and recently Maxwell - "Bad Habits". Let's not forget the visually stunning video he directed for Rihanna's "Rehab".

Personally, I'm a huge proponent for the post-apocalyptic aesthetic. I have an obsession of sorts with media related to the subject. This video is sort of a modern take on Tupac's "California Love which was a modern take on the eighties movie "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" which was probably a modern take on something else. I like Mandler's use of fire and light. The colors are crisp and dark. The looks/wardrobe are befitting; stylish and contempo but still true to the theme. Overall I like the video way more than I like the song.