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Even though Kanye West‘s name is given equal billing, “Ballin” is largely a Juicy J affair. It’s his bathtub boasts and improper propositions for the first lady that elevate the song above a Yeezy hook that’s honestly pretty terrible. But just as much as “Ballin” was a Juicy showcase, the music video is Cliffs Notes of Kanye’s favorite things.
It’s all there: drab clothing that probably costs more than your car, hanging out in warehouses and industrial spaces, long tracking shots, basketball hoops that are also secretly oil refineries — okay, that’s new, but it’s awesome and bears mentioning. The video ends in a peak Kanye moment, following the stars as they walk away from the shoot to check off the “famous people hanging out” box before ending ambiguously after Yeezy and J’s expressions change and they square up to the camera.
Overall, the video serves as a reminder that we’ll never fully escape Yeezy Season. He’ll always find a way to be in the conversation, even when he’s just contributing a three-word hook to an okay song. Much like autumn in the South, a time when we aren’t talking about what Kanye’s doing is a thing of the past.
