1. Analyzing Maroon 5’s video, “Girl Like You” (featuring Cardi-B)

2. Background
Maroon 5 is a Grammy-award- winning American pop-rock band that has been together since Having sold over 75 million records with numerous number one singles, they are touted as one of the best-selling musical groups in the world. In the summer of 2018, the band released their newest single, “Girl Like You” with a featured artist, American rapper, Cardi-B. In accompanying music video, the band features a host of women dancing behind lead singer, Adam Levine.

3. Simple Lyrics
"Girls Like You" Spent 24 hours, I need more hours with you You spent the weekend getting even, ooh We spent the late nights making things right between us *** 'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'Til sun down when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah yeah Girls like you love fun, and yeah, me too What I want when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah yeah
TASK: Think about traditional roles of women in music videos. What type of “girl” might one envision being the audience?
List at least four qualities of the typical “girl” in a music video.
Who is the speaker?

4. The song/video features rapper, Cardi B
“Not too long ago, I was dancing for dollars Know it's really real if I let you meet my mama You don't want a girl like me, I'm too crazy But every other girl you meet is fugazy* I'm sure them other girls were nice enough But you need someone to spice it up So who you gonna call? Cardi, Cardi Come and rev it up like Harley, Harley Why is the best fruit always forbidden? I'm coming to you now doin' 20 over the limit The red light, red light stop, stop I don't play when it comes to my heart I don't really want a white horse and a carriage I'm thinkin' more of a white Porsches and karats”
(*fake)
What lines from this section of the song challenge traditional gender roles for women? Once you identify these lines, unpack them – how is the language of each line propelling the argument forward?

5. What observations can you make about the rhetorical choice to include these particular women in the video? What role do these women play in the overarching argument being posed by the song?
Chloe Kim, Olympic snowboarder
Israeli actress, Gal Gadot, star of the D.C
film, Wonder Woman
Phoebe Robinson, comedian, writer
Latina musician, Camila Cabello
Angy Rivera, immigration activist. Her social media accounts entitled “Ask Angy” provide a resource for undocumented youth to ask her questions about how to best function in the U.S. She is also the subject of a new documentary film entitled Don’t Tell Anyone (No Le Digas a Nadie).
Jackie Fielder, Native American activist and writer who fought with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline
Danica Patrick is an American race car driver and the first woman to win an IndyCar series.

6. Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, author and tech entrepreneur, is
Do these women play a different role in Maroon 5’s argument, compared to other women in the video? Do they function as different “rhetorical devices,” or different strategies, in propelling their argument?
Ellen Degeneres is an American actress, comedian and LGBTQ activist. Trace Lysette is an American transgender actress who stars in the web series, “Transparent.”
Ilhan Omar, House Representative for Minnesota and the first Somali- American Muslim woman to be elected to political office in the United States. She is currently running for the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota’s 5th district.
Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, author and tech entrepreneur, is
the founder and editor of an online magazine for Muslim women, Muslim Girl.

7. How does the choice to include this image challenge the traditional roles of women and men in music videos?
This shot is VERY deliberate – and it’s almost crafted to be the most powerful (or, at least, surprising and impactful) in the video. Take a moment to analyze the visual rhetoric. Consider the poses, the people, the lighting, the color, and the larger context of this snapshot.
Behati Prinsloo is a Namibian model who married Adam Levine in They have two children.

8. List of Songs (new and older) About Social Change and Activism
Stevie Wonder: "Black Man"
Ben Harper: "Better Way"
Pink: "Dear Mr. President"
Tracy Chapman: "Talking About a Revolution"
U2: "One" or "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"
John Lennon: "Imagine"
Green Day: "American Idiot"
John Legend: "If you are out there"
Bob Marley: "Get Up Stand Up"
Bob Geldof: "Don't They Know It's Christmas"
Willie Nelson: "We Shall Overcome"
Joan Baez: "Blowing in the Wind"
Bruce Springsteen: "Ghost of Tom Joad"
Aretha Franklin: "RESPECT"
Marvin Gaye: "What's Going On?" or "Inner City Blues"

9. This is America

10. Final Rhetorical Analysis Assignment
Analyze the rhetorical choices made in Maroon 5’s video, “Girl Like You” and discuss how those choices contribute to its overall argument. Be sure to make specific references to textual evidence.