3rd Bass - The Gas Face

What this video is

Released November 1989 on Def Jam Recordings as a single from The Cactus Album, 'The Gas Face' arrived at a pivotal moment when hip-hop was transitioning from underground New York subculture to mainstream MTV exposure via Yo! MTV Raps (launched 1988). The video is culturally significant as an early document of hip-hop's cameo culture, satirical intra-genre commentary (targeting MC Hammer), and the debut appearance…

Why it matters

A cornerstone text of Golden Age hip-hop visual culture, 'The Gas Face' codified the cameo-driven ensemble music video format for the genre, influenced the comedic-performance hybrid style that would define early-90s hip-hop clips, peaked at #5 on Billboard's Top Rap Singles, and features the…

The director

Queens, New York-born music video director, film director, and VJ. Co-creator and co-host of Video Music Box, one of the first television programs to feature hip-hop music videos, launched with Ralph McDaniels in 1983. Directed over 100 music videos for…