Music Video - Rhetorical Response

Throughout the music video "Can't Believe It" by the artist T-Pain, there is a variety of rhetorical strategies used. The most obvious use of persuasion of appeals is through the use of pathos. His lyrics begin by using narration to tell the story of how is he involved with a girl and how he is attracted to her. The affection or attraction between sexes is a use of pathos because it appeals to the emotions. In the video, T-Pain and Lil Wayne are dancing with girls and showing a connection with them throughout the video. As a viewer, you are more receptive to the message and actions of the singer because it puts the audience in an emotional state. Today, sex is a very exploited subject and it often used as a method of persuasion. As you can see in the video, the women are not wearing much clothing at all, a use of pathos once again, because it is noticed by the audience and impacts their feelings.

Furthermore, the use of pathos are used in the video by what T-Pain is "offering" in his lyrics. Directed toward women, he is saying he can put them in a log cabin, or buy them a mansion. Additionally, he mentions being on the front page of a magazine and driving in expensive cars. These are shown throughout the video because these are all materials that are highly praised in society today. They are material objects that apply to emotions because people have strong feelings toward them. They make seek or desire these materials for they may think they may receive happiness from these objects. In a sense, this is a cause and effect strategy used by T-Pain in his video, for if these women choose to engage with T-Pain, he can reward them or give them these desires. Through the use of rhetorial appeals, pathos are highly used in the music video to put the audience in a particular state of emotion to become more receptive so the singer's message.