Coco Jones - Holla at the DJ

What this video is

Released December 2012, 'Holla at the DJ' was Coco Jones' debut single under Hollywood Records, premiering on Disney Channel at the height of the network's music-star-manufacturing era. Jones had broken through earlier that year via the Disney Channel Original Movie 'Let It Shine,' and the video represents the pipeline from Disney acting talent to pop recording artist. The video's club-dance format, while…

Why it matters

A key artifact of the early-2010s Disney-pop crossover genre: hip-hop influenced production values filtered through family-safe content guidelines. The rapid-edit performance format, club-environment staging, and R&B-adjacent vocal styling document how Hollywood Records positioned young Black…

The director

Los Angeles-born director (b. 1970), studied film at Hampshire College. Signed with Satellite Films at 21 as their youngest-ever director; directed 250+ music videos. Won MTV Video Music Award Video of the Year (2007, Rihanna's 'Umbrella'). Six-time Grammy…