Bruno Mars’ Fly Video Is A Throwback Dedication To In Living Color
Few Pop superstars are as nostalgic as Bruno Mars. “Locked Out Of Heaven” called back to Sting and The Police. His Mark Ronson 2016 “Record Of The Year” collaboration “Uptown Funk” channeled Morris Day & The Time. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Bruno traced the Electro-Funk of “24K Magic” to DJ Quik, Suga Free, and Dr. Dre. Bruno Mars makes no secret about who and when he’s paying homage to, and he does it in a way that re-purposes ’80s and ’90s cool.
That’s just what the Honolulu, Hawaii native has in mind for his “Finesse (Remix),” featuring Atlantic Records label-mate sensation Cardi B. Weeks ahead of his bid for “Album Of The Year” on the Grammy stage, Bruno remakes the famed opening to In Living Color. Keenen Ivory Wayans’ FOX show made stars out of family members (and a cast that included Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Jamie Foxx, and others). The series used various mixes of a theme by Heavy D & The Boyz. Bringing the colorful concept to life was the opening of the cast playing with the idea of paint and art. The edgy compositions let viewers know that this was not Saturday Night Live or Second City, this show was about painting outside the lines in bold, bright color.
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Bruno and Cardi are bold too, wearing fashions that would have fit 1990-1993 quite nicely. Moreover, the pair of entertainers demonstrates the full-body dance moves that also integral to the show. Rosie Perez choreographed and led the troop that would notably include Jennifer Lopez and Dancing With The Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba. Back in those days, Shawn Wayans (as DJ SW-1) controlled the mix that featured the latest in Hip-Hop, Hip-House, and R&B.
After the paint sequence, Bruno finds what looks exactly like (if it is not) the set from the show in the FOX Theater. They dedicate the video to the iconic sketch show at the close.
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Competing against the likes of Kendrick Lamar and JAY-Z, Bruno hopes to win his first “Album Of The Year” trophy later this month. He has five previous Grammy wins.
#BonusBeat: The In Living Color opening that Bruno is paying homage to:
This ran in season 1 and season 2, before going to a museum-themed opening.