Prodigy
This video was designed as a trap. In 1997, director Jonas Åkerlund filmed "Smack My Bitch Up" entirely from a first-person perspective, showing a night of drug use, violence, and vandalism. Because of the aggressive lyrics and the behavior on screen, almost everyone assumed the character was a toxic man. The final shot, which reveals the protagonist is actually a woman, was intended to force viewers to question why they automatically associated that level of chaos with masculinity. The video was banned by the BBC and only aired on MTV between 1 AM and 5 AM due to the graphic depictions of drug use and violence. Madonna saw this video and loved the editing style so much that she immediately hired Jonas Åkerlund to direct "Ray of Light." The band has consistently argued that the phrase "Smack My Bitch Up" was not about violence against women, but a sample from an Ultramagnetic MCs track meaning to "do something with intense energy."