POPSCREEN: Jim Jones

Jim Jones

“We Fly High”

Dir. Dale Resteghini & Jim Jones



Can music videos save football seasons? The New York Giants think so.

Back in September, they had a 1-2 record and little chance of winning the NFC East. But a week later, the defense found a new celebration dance—the “Fadeaway.” Copped from Jim Jones’ video for “We Fly High,” in which the rapper mimics a basketball jump shot, Giants defenders started miming crossovers and freethrows after sacks and interceptions. Since the dippiest member of the Dipset intervened, the Giants are 5-0, and their tenacious D has held opponents to just over 10 points a game.

Anyone—other than Giants linebackers—expecting to find directorial genius in “We Fly High” will be disappointed. The director isn’t Spike Jonze; it’s Jim Jones. Although he has nothing new to display, he plays show and tell. We get to see his cars and his jet plane; his women and his pool; also several of his dollar bills, which are generously offered up for the camera’s perusal.

It’s clear Jones prefers basketball to football. “Ballin!” goes the hook, and Jones does exhibit a nice stroke. He remixed the song for the Giants, but it’s the Denver Nuggets that his team—the Diplomats—most resembles.

Seriously. First, there’s Diplomats patriarch Cam’ron, who was actually a standout on his high school basketball squad. He’s ’Melo—underappreciated, and a natural leader. Then there’s Juelz Santana, who, like Kenyon Martin, gets too much hype and works best as a supporting player.

Hell Rell, like Nene, doesn’t do very much, but he still makes bank. J. R. Writer is obviously J. R. Smith. Freeky Zeeky, with his propensity to get shot during traffic incidents, is Julius Hodge.

Where does Jim Jones fit in? As the video for “We Fly High” attests, he’s better off on the bench.

—Jake G. Cohen