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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Killer Mike: “Big Beast” | Directed by Thomas C. Bingham
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MIA: “Bad Girls” | Directed by Romain Gavras
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Odd Future: “Oldie” | Directed by Lance Bangs
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OFF!: “Borrow And Bomb/I Got News For You” | Directed by Whitey McConnaughey
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Purity Ring: “Lofticries” | Directed by AG Rojas
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Sigur Ros: “Fjögur píanó” | Directed by Alma Har’el
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Title Fight: “Secret Society” | Directed by Hannah Roman
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Torche: “Kicking” | Directed by Andrew James Cox
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Trash Talk: “F.E.B.N” | Directed by Wolf Haley
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Youth Lagoon: “July” | Directed by Tyler T. Williams
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