Jadakiss - Who's Real ft. Swizz Beatz, OJ Da Juiceman

What this video is

Released June 16, 2009 as the fourth single from Jadakiss's third studio album The Last Kiss on Def Jam/Roc-A-Fella Records, 'Who's Real' represents a pivotal cross-regional moment in late-2000s hip-hop: a Yonkers/D-Block MC (Jadakiss), a Bronx beatmaker-turned-rapper (Swizz Beatz), and an Atlanta trap pioneer (OJ Da Juiceman) united on a single track. The collaboration reflects the post-mixtape era's erosion of…

Why it matters

Represents a key artifact of the late Ringtone Rap / pre-streaming transition period in East Coast hip-hop, documenting the cross-pollination between New York street rap and Atlanta trap aesthetics that would reshape mainstream hip-hop through the early 2010s. The video's hyper-edited visual…

The director

Taj Stansberry is an American director and photographer born in Oakland, California. He is known for directing music videos with a wide roster of major artists including Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Keyshia Cole,…