Kanye West and Hype Williams are back again and this time they rocket us to Neo Tokyo for a blast of Akiratastic fun. The concept is clearly inspired by Akira and other manga/anime – only with Kanye performing part of the time as a hip-hop Geordie LaForge. Perhaps the louvered shades are there to keep his psionic powers in check, although considering that this tune is based upon the Daft Punk tune "Technologic" — or the Busta Rhymes "Touch It" — Kanye is lucky that he didn’t have to dress up like Daft Punk’s most famous video star. Hype is definitely on his game here, mixing the slick and the raw to wring mad amounts of style out of a trip to Tokyo, re-animated robots and a sexy cameo from pop star Cassie. This is video-making — and pop stardom — on the grandest of scales. (review by Doug Stern) --> watch "Stronger"
Kanye West "Stronger"
(Hip Hop Since 1978/Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam)
Hype Williams, director/producer | Naaila, production co | John Perez, DP | Peter Johnson, editor
