NSFW: 15 Rap & R&B Videos That Balanced Sexy and Raunchy
These days if an artist wanted to release an extremely raunchy music video, most people probably wouldn't bat an eye, because they're pretty commonplace.
However, there was a time when a very fine line had to be walked if an artist wanted to push the sexual envelope and still have their video played on television.
There were a lot of music videos back in the day that tested the limits of appropriateness, causing many artists to anger parents, please fans and caused a lot of controversy with their provocative content.
Below we've listed 15 videos that fall into this category by pushing the sexual boundaries of their day.
- 1
Bell Biv DeVoe - 'Do Me!' (Remix) 1990
From the half-naked woman crawling in a bed towards Michael Bivins to the dripping wet lady exiting the pool in a skin-tight bathing suit, the video for Bell Biv DeVoe's "Do Me! (Remix)" straddled the line between what was allowed on television and what wasn't.
It was also a different look for the R&B trio at the time since they weren't allowed to show their risqué side in New Edition.
- 2
Wreckx-n-Effect - 'Rump Shaker' 1992
It all started with that gorgeous woman playing the saxophone on the beach, and then you were hit with a huge party scene that showed even more lovely ladies.
All and all, the "Rump Shaker" video oozes of sexuality, making it look like Teddy Riley and company were on a personal mission to annoy the FCC.
- 3
2 Live Crew - 'Pop That C--chie' 1991
Was there any way the founders of hip-hop raunch weren't going to be on this list?
"Pop That C--chie" was the lead single off the group's sixth studio album Sports Weekend: As Nasty as They Wanna Be, Pt 2. and at the time, the video was as controversial as the song title was.
It also showed a bunch of women twerking two decades before the dance would go mainstream and be the official dance of rebellion for all suburban teens.
- 4
D'Angelo - 'Untitled (How Does it Feel)' 2000
Before listeners would get the chance to fully hear D'Angelo's masterpiece of an album Voodoo, there was a lot of talk about the video for the first single.
Why? Because the Virginia native performed it stark naked in front of an all black background. The video sent female fans all around the globe begging for more.
- 5
N.E.R.D. - 'Lapdance' 2001
Probably the coolest thing about N.E.R.D.'s "Lapdance" video is that director Diane Martel made you feel like a fly on the wall in a seedy strip club.
It's almost like you weren't witnessing a video but a scene from a party that you weren't invited to.This clip certainly pushed a boundary or two some 17 years ago.
- 6
Bobby Brown - 'Rock Wit'cha' 1989
Not every video that pushed the sexual limits of their day had nudity or raunchiness, some included just dance moves like Bobby's "Rock Wit'cha."
In the classic clip, the sexual tension builds as the singer waits for his lady to return from a long trip.
Plus, you'll see Bobby hump the ground at the 3:06 mark, which raised many an eyebrow back in the day.
- 7
Drake - 'Best I Ever Had' 2009
You may or may not recall, but the song "Best I Ever Had" was popping on the radio long before the video dropped, and for some reason, it took some time to see the light of day.
Although some expressed disappointment with the final product —directed by Kanye West — there weren't too many complaints from the fellas about all the eye candy that was seen.
- 8
Christina Milian - 'Dip it Low' 2004
When Christina Milian dropped the first single from her sophomore LP "It's About Time," she turned up the sexiness to dangerous levels.
The outfits, the tantalizing dances, the come-hither stares at the camera, the singer got everyone's attention with this clip and showed a totally different side of herself.
- 9
Ginuwine - 'Pony' 1996
Just like the clip for Bobby Brown's "Rock Wit'chu" seven years prior, Ginuwine's video for "Pony" raised the level of steaminess with just dance moves.
There's gyrating, the removing of clothes and a dive bar that's the perfect setting for the singer to deliver his suggestive lyrics in.
- 10
Ciara - 'Ride', Feat. Ludacris 2010
The director, Diana Martel can certainly extract the sexiness out of a song and put it in a video because that's what she did for Ciara in "Ride."
Before the video ends, you'll see the singer perform the sexiest of dance routines and rock a leotard that's pretty skimpy to say the least.
In fact, BET wouldn't play the video when it first dropped until Ciara made some edits to it, which she was fine with.
"I am definitely aware that my video has some very sensual moments in it," Ciara told Rap-Up. "I'm definitely more than willing to make an edit to make it suitable for whatever it is that would be more comfortable to the network."
- 11
LL Cool J - 'Doin It' 1996
In 1996 it would've been hard to shoot visuals that matched LL's X-rated lyrics in the song, but that doesn't mean the video didn't push limits.
With peep shows, and sexual innuendos with food, the video for "Doin It" was just as sexy as the song. Even though things were kept more on the classy side of things, a lot of TV sets were still left steaming when the video was over.
- 12
50 Cent - 'Disco Inferno' 2004
Although there have been countless rap videos featuring bouncing exotic dancers, 50's "Disco Inferno" stands out for its unapologetic nature.
If you notice, the G-Unit boss is the only guy in the clip, as if he was shooting a video and fulfilling a fantasy all in one shot.
- 13
Guy - 'My Fantasy' - 1989
In this video, Guy walks around an exotic location ogling beautiful women who soon disappear.
Before all is said and done, you'll witness a steamy sex scene with Teddy Riley and a model, plus, a little dirty dancing on the beach.
- 14
Jackie- O - 'Nookie' 2003
Between Jackie sucking on a cherry, the steamy party that took place in the clip and the song's subject matter, this video definitely got people's attention when it dropped 15 years ago.
It also put the Florida MC on the map.
- 15
Khia - 'My Neck, My Back' 2002
People are still talking about this song 16 years after it dropped, and there's no doubt that Khia was challenging the rule keepers with this one.
The Miami rhymer never sheds any clothes in the video but her lyrics, her slow dance moves, and her sheer confidence makes it one of the more steamier rap videos of our day.