F**k YouTube, Let’s Do the First RefinedHype Video Awards Posted by Nathan S. on 10/23/13 | Filed under Opinion

This year YouTube will be doing it's first ever Awards show, and it's long overdue. Why does anyone give a shit about the MTV Music Video Awards when MTV barely plays music videos, and the ones they do play get viewed on YouTube more anyway? (Oh yeah, here's why.)

One thing that I actually like about the YouTube Awards is that a lot of it just boils down to statistics. The Grammys drive me fucking pistachios because it's impossible to tell if they factor in sales or select winners based on pure artistic merit. On YouTube though, we've got a views counter and Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" is one of the biggest videos of the year and that's the end of the debate.

But while YouTube does have a cateogry called, somewhat confusingly, "Innovation of the Year", the YouTube Awards don't do enough to highlight some of the year's best visual work, particularly when it comes to hip-hop. So fuck 'em, let's just do this shit ourselves. (DIY awards have kind of been my thing lately.)

So here's the deal. First, we're doing two categories, Hip-Hop and Non Hip-Hop. Yes, I know the line between the two can get blurry, but I still want to separate them out. Second, video had to be released in 2013. Third, the only thing we care about is how fucking awesome it was to watch the video. Forget views, likes, viralness, how famous the artist is, how popular the song was, etc. This is about pure creativity.

The YouTube Innovation nominees are below, along with a couple nominees from me in each category to get things started. Frankly I'm less concerned with deciding on a "winner" then coming up with a fantastical collection of videos that RefinedHype Nation can spend the rest of their day watching. 

Hit up the comments with your nominations. Let's do the damn thing

YouTube Innovation of the Year:

+ Anamanaguchi ­– “ENDLESS FANTASY”
+ Atoms For Peace ­– “Ingenue”
+ Bat For Lashes ­– “Lilies”
+ DeStorm ­– “See Me Standing”
+ Toro Y Moi — “Say That”

RefinedHype Video Awards: Non Hip-Hop

MGMT "Cool Song #2"

Portugal. The Man’s “Modern Jesus”

Rudimental "Waiting All Night"

RefinedHype Video Awards: Hip-Hop

Action Bronson "Strictly 4 My Jeeps"

J. Cole "Crooked Smile"

Froggy Fresh Krispy Kreme "Dunked On"