This week it was reported by The New York Times that YouTube and Universal Music Group would be joining to give some of our favorite classic music videos the remastering treatment. With a time span that goes from the ’80s all the way to the 2000s when things began to change for the better, it goes without saying that UMG has a lot of ground to cover.
The upgrades will be towards sound and picture quality to be compatible with HD streaming devices. The technological advances of today have made it possible to go back and actually “recreate” videos using their original formats, be it original film, Digibeta or even earlier ones like Betacam SPs. This will go into effect for approximately 1,000 videos by the end of 2020, and we’re kinda hoping they’re taking a few recommendations.
Keep scrolling to see 10 of our favorite throwback Hip-Hop music videos from the Universal Music Group vault that we hope to see in HD on YouTube very soon:
N.W.A. – “Express Yourself”
Year: 1988
A West Coast classic that dropped the year The Source debuted on newsstands. Even today, N.W.A. is still considered legends to the game, and we’re still getting these issues out — go cop “The Future Issue” (#275) today!
Slick Rick – “Children’s Story”
Year: 1988
A story we’ll never get tired of hearing or watching. The final scene could definitely benefit from a color & lighting upgrade for sure.
LL Cool J – “Going Back To Cali”
Year: 1989
Not only would a digital upgrade of this video be dope, but a full color version would make for an amazing anniversary release, too!
Eric B. & Rakim – “Juice (Know The Ledge)”
Year: 1992
Even though the scenes with Eric B. and Rakim are brief and only in black & white, the video overall should get a fresh finish for the sake of Pac’s groundbreaking role in Juice alone.
Ice Cube – “It Was A Good Day”
Year: 1992
It would be a good day indeed if we were able to watch this video in high definition. We’re actually surprised this song hasn’t been made into an episode of Tales yet!
Queen Latifah – “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Year: 1993
A timeless message that is still relevant today. The Queen definitely deserve to be seen and heard in HD quality.
Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt & Nate Dogg – “The Next Episode”
Year: 1999
We could name a few things in this video that we’d definitely like to see in the highest definition, and no we’re not talking about Snoop’s iconic Shirley Temple curls.
Talib Kweli – “Get By”
Year: 2002
Simply because, quite frankly, we still miss the old Kanye.
DMX – “X Gon’ Give It To Ya”
Year: 2003
Once X started getting into movies, his videos got way more cinematic. The CGI graphics in this video alone need a fresh upgrade without a doubt.
Kendrick Lamar – “Cut You Off”
Year: 2010
Not only was this K.Dot’s first real music video, but it reflects the year when everything changed and the Digital Era really made its impact on the game. We nominate this one off sheer nostalgia.
What are some of the music videos that you’re hoping to see get remastered? Let us know over on Facebook and Twitter!
