Written by Kianna Best on Apr 5, 2023. Posted in Production News

Amazon Music celebrates 50 years of hip hop with cozy new campaign

Generational Queens, a film directed by Fenn O’meally through production company Smuggler, pays homage to 50 years’ worth of hip hop history. Capturing the moment when two teenage daughters discover their mother’s box of nineties memorabilia and in turn uncover a side of their mother they hadn’t known, the lyrics of Queen Latifah’s ‘U.N.I.T.Y’, which turns 30 this year, soundtracks the special moment. With the tag line ‘50 and Forever’, the advert solidifies the multi-generational impact of hip hop music.

“This year, hip-hop fans around the world will come together to mark one of the culture’s most important milestones: the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,” said Tim Hinshaw, head of hip-hop and R&B for Amazon Music. “More than music, hip-hop has broken barriers and redefined culture across fashion, sports, film, and social movements. From art to activism, hip-hop hasn’t just changed history, but is history, and 50 & Forever pays tribute to the indelible mark that hip-hop has made on the culture.”

Featuring an all-Black, female cast, the heart warming moment as the trio sing and dance to “The Queen” speaks to how music transcends age and time, with the younger daughters and mother alike resonating with the empowering lyrics of “love a Black woman from infinity to infinity”. In partnership with creative agency Droga 5, the ad is the first in a series of short films set to be released throughout the year.

In celebration Apple Music have lined up a schedule of pop up appearances, including  the Dreamvillex 50 & Forever- Through The Years exhibit which took place at the contemporary art museum in Raleigh North Carolina during US Rap artist J.Coles Dreamville Festival, as well as facilitating Mary J Blige's Strength of a Woman festival and summit live-stream. The streaming platform has also launched the Rap Rotation Rewind, a curated music playlist for all generations of listeners, with a DJ mode listening experience hosted by Free Marie.

Award winning filmmaker, journalist and BBC 1Xtra resident Fenn O’Meally is known for her authenticity and rich storytelling, working with an extensive roster of globally recognised brands. O’Meally’s visual style has also contributed to a range of projects including UK artists Jorja Smith and Shaybo’s ‘Bussdown’, on which she wrote, directed and edited, as well as short film The Silent Twins starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrence.

Image courtesy of Amazon Music