With the final part of the three-part documentary Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy set to launch tonight, Time magazine shares some footage that did not make it into the final product. The above clip was shot by Jeen-Yuhs director Coodie Simmons during the video shoot for Kanye’s second single, “Slow Jamz,” and provides a glimpse at not only the process of shooting a music video but also doing so under the strain of financial limitations and the logistics of bringing Kanye’s ideas to life.
It also highlights Kanye’s demanding creative process and high standards for himself and the video team. Directed by Coodie and Chike Ozah with Kanye himself, the “Slow Jamz” video represented Kanye’s first chance to prove to the world he was no one-hit-wonder after the success of his debut single “Through The Wire.” That explains why he seems so stressed out in the clip above, but he also displays flashes of the control freak tendencies that have made him such a controversial figure in pop culture. However, the proof is in the pudding: “Slow Jamz” peaked at No.1 on the Hot 100, giving all three of its collaborators — West, Twista, and Jamie Foxx — their first No. 1s, and it was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
The footage that did make it into Jeen-Yuhs turned out to be every bit as enlightening, capturing Pharrell’s reaction to hearing “Through The Wire” for the first time, highlighting Kanye’s tender relationship with his mother, and sparking debate over his attempted guerilla promotion tactics at the Roc-A-Fella Records office. The third, final episode goes live tonight on Netflix.