Kindred video spirits: Lil’ Wayne and Silversun Pickups?

When the video for Lil' Wayne's new, so-inane-it-might-be-genius single "Lollipop" began making the rounds, it seemed oddly ... familiar. Not just because its narrative arc of Wayne looking stoked about his money and club-girl harem is well-traversed hip-hop video territory, though. Something in the particular visual kinesis of him driving around Vegas playing guitar out of the sunroof of his stretch Hummer or whatever. Then it hit us --  Silversun Pickups (and director Joaquin Phoenix) made the exact same video for their single "Little Lover's So Polite." Just replace the Pickups' preteen Aryan couple and downtown L.A. with Wayne's video vixens and the Vegas strip. Note the 1:53 mark in "Lollipop" and the 3:06 point in "Little Lover's" where each artist plays their respective butt rock guitar solo. Wayne's guitar face is much more convincing, we think.

-- August Brown

Illustration by August Brown; Lil' Wayne photo by Jonathan Mannion; Silversun Pickups photo by Gail Salmo

Lil' Wayne: "Lollipop"

Silversun Pickups: "Little Lover's So Polite"