music-mix.ew.com
Surprisingly, Jay Z didn’t make a single appearance at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards, despite the fact that it took place inside the arena that he kinda-sorta had a hand in constructing. (Though he and Mrs. Carter did show up for the after-party.)
Perhaps he was just putting the finishing touches on the video for “Holy Grail,” the Justin Timberlake-featuring single that has been sitting in the top 10 since Magna Carta Holy Grail dropped. In the clip, directed by Anthony Mandler, Jigga contemplates Mike Tyson in front of the video monitors from 12 Monkeys inside Daniel Plainview’s dilapidated mansion while presiding over the nightmare feast from Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” video.
There’s a scantily-filled swimming pool and a tower of champagne glasses, as well as Timberlake crooning in front of a burning car. It’s pretty arresting, honestly, and the remixed iteration of the song is miles beyond the album version.
The clip premiered on Facebook.
Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail has already gone platinum twice (though one of those times was the million in bulk that Samsung bought for the launch of the album), and Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2 (which features yet another guest spot by Jay Z) hits stores on September 27.
