unclipped : hype williams

Super stylized images, bold images and rich colours that seep from any available orifice. This is the world of music video director, photographer and style-icon David LaChappelle: One, big loud, messy, loose party. Or at least – that’s how it feels

For LaChappelle, poverty and celebrity are the two sides of the same coin. Flick on Rage anytime and wait until you stubble across The Vines’ debaucherous clip for ‘Outtathaway’ (with Craig Nicolls belting gradually ripping the walls apart fist by fist) or Kelis’ simulated-fornication-fest “Goodstuff” and of course Christina Aguillera’s crotchless chaps in ‘Dirrty’ and you get the sense that LaChappelle is using music videos to taunt you, “We’re having more drugs, alcohol and sex than you”. And yet, when you turn around to look at LaChappelle’s photography or his brilliant 2005 doco Rize about Krump Dancing in LA’s violent impoverished South Central you’ll notice that they both exude the exact same glamor.



It’s probably fitting that Music Video’s Patron Saint of the Party began his career at one. David LaChapelle was born in Connecticut in 1968. At age of 19, LaChapelle went to New York. Legend has it that LaChappelle got his first professional gig from Andy Warhol, the king of pop art. It was at New York’s Infamous Studio 54 and laChappelle was working as a scantily clad bus boy.

All this said, LaChapelle’s onscreen bashes aren’t always fun ones. One of LaChappelle’s more downbeat videos was the world’s favourite loud-mouthed queen Elton John. His 2001 track ‘This Train Don’t Stop Here Anymore’ stars Justin Timberlake as Elton circa 1973. He wanders aimlessly through a sea of big, hair, snug-fitting pants, and purple eye shadow. There is something deeply sad about it.



In keeping with the totally-self-serving theme, you gotta see Britany Spears Everytime video. Aside from being a hilariously shithouse track, LaChappelle shows off the Britster being horribly assaulted by paparazzi. This one is less sad. And more… well… sad.

Though for my favourite LaChappelle clip, it’s a bit of a toss up. It’s either The Dandy Warhols “If You Were the Last Jukie on Earth’ with cooks up a vat of Heroin Chic in a stock of fluro 60’s camp. End Result? Dancing Styrofoam syringes.



The other favourite is a bit of tone shift: Moby’s ‘Natural Blues’ which has the famous bald vegan in old-age makeup being whisked away from this mortal coil by the angel of death (Christina Ricci) and if that don’t weird you out, I give up.

Don't forget, the most recent Unclipped (Hype Williams) is on stands now in this months Jmag.