Ludacris - Stand Up ft. Shawnna

What this video is

Released August 2003 at the apex of Ludacris's commercial ascent via Def Jam South, 'Stand Up' arrived as Atlanta crunk was achieving mainstream crossover saturation. The video crystallizes the era's hip-hop visual language: nightclub omnipotence fantasy, comedic lyrical literalism, and maximalist excess. Produced by Kanye West (then still primarily known as a producer), it bridges Southern rap braggadocio with a…

Why it matters

A landmark of early-2000s Southern hip-hop music video aesthetics, 'Stand Up' exemplifies the lyric-literalist surrealism that Dave Meyers helped codify for mainstream rap. The video's blend of crunk energy, absurdist comedy, and polished club production defined how hip-hop bravado was translated…

The director

David Charles Meyers (born October 19, 1972, Berkeley, CA) is an American music video, commercial, and film director. He studied Film Production and Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. After working at Paramount and Fox, he pivoted to music videos,…