Stunting in Music Videos: Part 1

We all work hard, whether you're hitting the lot five days a week honing your skills, hustling shows or busting your ass traveling to all the XDL's; we put a lot into a sport that is more often than not, misunderstood. People romanticize motorcycles and riding, they sometimes do a disservice to real riders by making it something it's not: "gangsta," sexy, super-wild-crazy-badass and while it may be a tiny bit of these things, anyone who really rides understand it boils down to therapy. Riding is something that gives your life meaning, like any other sport, religion or community.

Because so many of us pour our heart and soul into this activity, it's infuriating when people belittle the sport by acting like it’s simplistic or trivial.

Due to all the misconceptions and squids making "stunting" something it's not, it's wildly satisfying when these people fall victim to their own ignorance. We (stunters) all grab the pop corn, move out of the way and eagerly anticipate the fireworks when that german-helmet, skull leather jacket-wearing, gixxer 1,000 rider rolls into the parking lot on Sunday afternoon. The screaming power-wheelie, the choppy throttle inching him higher and higher towards that glorious loop-out and burst of full-fairing, minty, failure.

We've seen the scene a million times, whether they crash or not, you have to admit it's hilarious and a tiny gift for all those times you have just had to walk away from trying to explain to some guy what you do and why it's not the same as his pow-pows. Because everyday can't be Sunday, I've compiled a list of music videos featuring mostly ridiculously, squidly interpretations of stunting, for your viewing pleasure. And due to the fact there are so many terrible depictions of stunting on video, this will be the first article in a series on the topic.

So here is part one of the music videos, both the good and the bad.

Redman enters the scene with a sweet wheelie to low side, then moves to a T-Rex (where he can more effectively rap out the side). Thankfully he drops the best line in "Biker Boyz" the movie, "Burn rubber, not your soul," as riders burnout standing on the ground next to their bikes.

In the second verse a stunt double scene depicts "Redman" doing a choppy sitdown wheelie to christ to skitch to answering his phone. He states:

I'm throwing it up
Hop on the gas tank and stand on it
I'm doing a endo with two of my man's on it

I really wish they showed Redman (errr his stuntman) doing a endo with two of "his man's." Unfortunately after his sweet combo's he announces he's "On a CBR, you ride a bike like Debo," as the camera pans past the Yamaha logo on the tank of his R6. Whoops, at least the very realistic scenes like jumping full size street bikes through the air and drag racing on old country dirt roads from Biker Boyz keep us engaged through the video.

Fortunately for real stunters, the video is so comical, it would be hard for any audience to actually believe that's a truthful interpretation of what we do.

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DMX "Ruff Ryders' Anthem"

The video opens with Wink 1100 cruising the NY streets on his girl's Queen of Hearts bike and we can't talk shit on that. BUT then it cuts to mandem quad and wheelie action...is that "how Ruff Ryders roll..."?

Now while mandem obviously makes me chuckle, there's nothing inherently homosexual about two dudes riding a motorcycle together -even popping up a few wheelies while they embrace each other tightly, I don't have a problem with that at all. BUT when you're saying things like...

Niggaz ain't never did shit to me (what)
Bitch ass niggaz can't get to me (what)
So to the next time(what), you hear this nigga rhyme (what)
try to keep your mind(what), on gettin pussy and crime (what)

...you may not want to put yourself in incriminating positions.

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Birdman & Lil Wayne "Stuntin' Like My Daddy"

Maybe real motorcycles don’t rhyme with anything or perhaps rappers can’t Google “a real life motorcycle;” because somehow they always end up rapping about fictional machines that make real-life douchbags dream of buying their first “Honda R1 Gixxer…”

Vrooom on a yamaha chromed out 11 hundred
im the, young stunna, stuntin like my daddy
stuntin like my daddy, i be stuntin like my daddy

And Lil' Wayne speaks the truth, if he's stunting like his Daddy he would probably be riding Yamaha 1100 V-Star. The V-Star is an intelligent choice for the middle-aged rider with a suave retro style, air cooled V-twin and an efficient and quiet shaft drive requires almost no maintenance. Although, that's probably not what he's referring to.

In the end the rapping duo end up stunting into the sunset...as their bitches count their stacks of monies, and Birdman even does a celebratory jedi mind trick skitch.

The Good

The previous three videos depict stunting in a "way too cool for school" light, possibly confusing audiences to think just anyone can jump on a bike and be a "stunter." Annoying and not true, you have to work hard at this sport! But not all music videos make stunters look like clowns.

TRP Featuring Bossman "B4LT1M0RE"

This is one of my favorite stunting-music videos. The Bmore Extreme boys are featured in a natural, real environment, showing a few circles and burnouts courtesy of Turtle and then the crew gives Bossman a wheelie escort for his verse.

I love this music video because, for one, the music is good, the production is great and no one is trying to be anything but themselves. For me this video one of the best representation of riding in a music video to date, enjoy:

Stay tuned for part two where I analyze more both laughably bad and perfectly legit representations of stunt riding in music videos.