Twista: Hope

Brands featured:
New Era: Fitted cap
Nike: One pair of 2k4 Huaraches, one pair white Air Force Ones
Phat Farm: One polo shirt
Rocawear: One hooded sweater, one sweatsuit top, and one parka

Chart Position:
BET Rap City Top 10: N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles: N/A
MTV Top 20: N/A
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: Number 26

TI: You Dont Know Me

Brands featured:
Aston Martin: Vanquish coupe
A Tiziano: One jacket
Champion USA: One hooded sweater
Chevrolet: One Impala coupe
Elemental Magazine
Evisu: One pair of jeans
Lacoste: One track jacket
LRG: One jacket, one hooded sweater
New Era: One Pittsburgh Pirates fitted cap, one Atlanta fitted cap
Ralph Lauren: One Polo shirt
Sean John: One jacket
Star and Co: One hooded sweater, two jackets
Vibe/Spin Ventures,LLC: Vibe magazine

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: Number 6
Billboard Top 20 Singles: N/A
MTV Top 20: N/A
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: N/A

TI:Bring Em Out

Brands featured:
Akademiks: Reversible jacket
Chevrolet: Impala coupe
K Swiss: One pair of sneakers
Mattel: Juicebox personal video player
New Era: Fitted cap
Rocawear: Hooded leather jacket

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles: Number 13
MTV Top 20: Number 13
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: Number 53

Snoop Dogg: Drop It Like Its Hot

Brands featured:
Apple: Star Trak Ipod
Billionaire Boys Club: Two logoed t-shirts
Chevrolet: One Caprice
Icetek: Spinner watch
Reebok: Ice Cream sneakers
Rolls Royce: Phantom sedan
Snoop Dogg Clothing: Various shirts
Star Co: "I Got It 4 Cheap" t-shirt

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles: Number 15
MTV Top 20:N/A
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: Number 24

Snoop Dogg: Lets Get Blown

Brands featured:
Nokia:Nokia 7260 cell phone
NFL Apparel: Pittsburgh Steelers jacket
Snoop Dogg Clothing: Various shirts

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: Number 3
Billboard Top 20 Singles:N/A
MTV Top 20:Number 11 (week of 2/14)
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos:Number 80

Nelly: Over and Over

Brands featured:
Chris Aire: Traveler watch
Bathing Ape: One pair of Bape STAs (black/grey)
Blackberry: One Blackberry 7100t
Cadillac: One Escalade
Chevrolet: One Caprice
Danger: One Sidekick II
Evisu: One Evisu black wool hat
Mitchell and Ness: One Los Angeles Rams jacket

Chart position:

BET Rap City Top 10:N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles:N/A
MTV Top 20:N/A
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos:Number 13

Fabolous:Baby

Brands featured:
New Era: One New York Yankees fitted cap, another fitted cap from an indistinguishable team
Baby Phat: One pair of diamond earrings
Hpnotiq: Bottles of Hpnotiq liquer
Mercedes: One Maybach sedan
Ralph Lauren: Polo sweater and Polo boots
Rich Young: One parka (video debut of the brand)
Rolls Royce: One Phantom sedan

Chart Position:
BET Rap City Top 10: N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles:N/A
MTV Top 20:N/A
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos:N/A

Game:How We Do

Brands featured:
New Era: One Boston Red Sox fitted cap, one Los Angeles Dodgers fitted cap, one New York Yankess fitted cap.
Al-Wissam: "Scarface" leather jacket
Apple: U2-edition Ipod
Cadillac: Escalade SUV (modified, scissor doors)
Dodge: Magnum sedan (modified, scissor doors)
Nike: Air Force Ones
Swisher International: Swisher Sweets cigars

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: Number 1
Billboard Top 20 Singles:Number 5 (issue date 2/26)
MTV Top 20: Number 9 (week 02/07-02/14)
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: Number 8

Eminem:Like Toy Soldiers

Brands Featured:
Shady Limited: One skull cap, one fitted baseball hat, one tracksuit.
New Era: Three Detroit Tigers fitted baseball hats, one New York Yankess fitted baseball hat.
G Unit Clothing: One sweatsuit, one hooded sweater.
Reebok: One Seattle Seahawks jersey, number "81".
Lincoln: Navigator SUV

Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: N/A
Billboard Top 20 Singles:N/A (issue date 2/26/o5)
MTV Top 20: Number 7 (week 02/07-02/14)
Yahoo! Music Top 100 videos: Number 11

50 Cent: Candy Shop

Brands featured:
G-Unit Clothing:Two T-shirts, three fitted baseball hats(red,grey,white), one polo shirt, one tracksuit.
G-Unit Footwear by Reebok:One pair of G-6 II shoes.
New Era: Two Yankee fitted hats(red,blue), one Oakland A's fitted hat.
Saleen: Saleen S7 sportscar (red).
BMW:BmW 645 Ci two door coupe.
Chart position:
BET Rap City Top 10: Number 2
Billboard Top 20 Singles:Number 2(issue date 2/26/05)
MTV Top 20:Number 3(week of 2/7 through 2/14/05).
Yahoo! Music Top 100 Videos: Number 1.

About Strictly Business

Strictly Business is the first blog dedicated to analyzing product placement in the world of hip hop videos. For some time now, marketing experts have studied the use of hip hop as a powerful marketing tool, most frequently sighting the extensive inclusion of brands in rap lyrics; Agenda Inc's American Brandstand project is the most recognized study of such brand references in hip hop music. But until today, no similar analysis existed for the videos that promote the most popular rap songs, the majority of which are heavily embedded with a variety of brands. Strictly Business will fill this diagnostic void by documenting and charting brand positioning in hip hop videos, in addition to providing comprehensive commentary and forecasts.