''In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy on to the female figure which is styled accordingly''
Laura Mulvey believes that the representation women come under in music videos projects 'dismemberment', wherein music videos are predominantly viewed through the male gaze which is evident as female body parts are highlighted, and the female is not focused on as a whole woman, which essentially makes the female the 'subject', and the female becomes objectified.
The projection of a male's vision on an ideal female runs throughout many of today's music videos. However, it is suggested that the Hip-Hop/Rap/R&B genres of music closely relate to Mulvey's theory on representation of women in music videos.
Below are videos which illustrate Laura Mulvey's theory:
In Dizzee Rascal's video for his song 'Holiday', the projection of the male gaze is clear as female body parts are highlighted throughout the video, supporting the concept of dismemberment and objectification. To further support the idea of objectification, the large volume of women that the artist is with enforces the idea that the women are objectified and not represented as a whole woman.
Flo Rida's 'Whistle' video is also a projection of the male gaze, where there are many cuts to female body parts, supporting the idea.
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