MTV may have decapitated the music video fan, but thanks to YouTube and NSFW personas, they’re still prominent with their own ingenious makeups. Action Bronson and Das Racist hid rap music behind crushing forms of humour, noisemakers Cloud Nothings and Killer Mike added confusion to creatively gutting scenarios and even some of hip hop’s biggest names reassured us it’s okay to have more swag than a flu-ridden Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals. For your viewing pleasure, here are our 30 favourite videos from 2012 that put an axe right through corporate media.
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Drake: “HYFR” | Directed by Director X
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El-P: “The Full Retard” | Directed by Timothy Saccenti
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Every Time I Die: “Revival Mode” | Directed by Robert Schober
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Feist/Mastodon: “A Commotion” | Directed by Vice Cooler
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Frank Ocean: “Pyramids” | Directed by Nabil Elderkin
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Grimes: “Oblivion” | Directed by Emily Kai Bock
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Jack White: “Sixteen Saltines” | Directed by AG Rojas
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Japandroids: “The House That Heaven Built” | Directed by Jim Larson
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Joey Bada$$ & Capital STEEZ: “Survival Tactics” | Directed by Creative Control
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Kanye West: “Mercy” | Directed by Nabil Elderkin
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