I don’t think people realize how revolutionary this Naughty By Nature video was. First off, Treach was a straight up sex symbol rapper back in the early 90s. Second, the padlock on the chain link around the neck…so powerful. 3rd and possibly most monumental are the snowboarders. Snowboarding…in a rap video…in 1995. Today that might not be THAT big of a deal but remember when Stevie Williams was one of the first pro black skaters to get like super sick? Remember when Pharrell had black skaters in the “Frontin” video…don’t front like you weren’t kind of surprised by that a little. That was only a few years ago. Naughty By Nature had black snowboarders in 1995! Now…correct me if I’m wrong…but not until 2003 did another rap group feature snow resort activities in a music video; a Wale and elitaste favorite: Young Gunz f. Rell in “No Better Love.” This is one of those few videos where I actually would love to be hanging out and doing what they are doing. They are keeping it real grown and sexy in the lodge with a few select ladies; none of this out of control club nonsense. Clearly they brought the chicks skiing for the weekend and they’ve committed to being with them for a couple of days, perhaps it’s love? Not only that, they probably aren’t going to bed super late because they want to hit the slops in the morning; maybe some Irish coffees after dinner and some Scattegories. “Hey Chris and Neef…can me and this girl who I kinda like come to the ski house this weekend too? Yeah? Can I hitch a ride in the range and maybe borrow a thermal? Sweet!”

EDIT: Thanks to Pierre, I stand corrected about this…Silkk The Shocker f. Trina “That’s Cool” (1999…notice the Dreamcast reference). I’d never seen this video before but this is great. It’s like a Ruff Ryders video but instead of Yonkers it’s Juno, Alaska and instead of motorbikes, it’s snowmobiles.