Will Smith - Miami

What this video is

Released in November 1998 as the third single from Big Willie Style, 'Miami' arrived at the apex of Will Smith's transformation from sitcom star and rap personality to bona fide global pop phenomenon. The video embodies the late-1990s crossover dream: hip-hop delivered with PG-rated accessibility, luxury leisure signifiers, and a location-shoot glamour that doubled as aspirational tourism. Miami itself was…

Why it matters

A landmark of late-90s pop rap crossover, 'Miami' demonstrates how hip-hop aesthetics could be fully mainstreamed without abandoning identity. Its fast-paced, location-driven visual language established a template for celebrity rap travel narratives, influencing how rap videos used aspirational…

The director

Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958, Vinita, Oklahoma) is an American music video and film director with over 150 credits since the 1980s. Inspired by David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes,' he rose to prominence directing arena-rock videos for Bon Jovi, Metallica,…