["Cheat" International Single Cover]Title: "Cheat" (Solo Version)
Length: 4:36
Written and Directed by: Diane Martel Starring: Barbarian, Reggie Bush Choreographers: Jamaica, Barbarian
Album: "Love.Sex.Magic."
Writer/Composer: Barbara Harris "Barbarian", Dallas Austin
Producer: Dallas Austin, Barbara Harris "Barbarian"
Genres: R&B, Hip-hop Soul
Photographer/Artwork: Diane Martel
Record Label: Hot Eye Records
Formats: Television (Edit), Youtube/Vevo (Explicit/Director's Cut), iTunes (Music Videos)
Film Location: Los Angeles, California
Date Premiered: October 1, 2013 Views: 83,791,000+ "Cheat" is a song by American recording artist Barbarian taken from her debut studio album
"Love.Sex.Magic.". The album is set to be released November 15, 2013 through the support of Hot Eye Records. The song was written by Barbarian, Austin, and TJ Cousins and produced by Dallas Austin and co-produced by Barbara herself. The song is now being distributed worldwide as the lead single from the "Love.Sex.Magic." album through Hot Eye Records. The song will be made available for digital download and radio airplay on September 22, 2013. The song however first premiered online at midnight on Billboard's official website September 16, 2013 and was uploaded on Barbarian's official youtube/vevo as the first video in her channel the very same day. The
"Cheat" music video was also filmed on September 15th and September 16th. The video treatment was written and directed by Diane Martel.
Background Information/Concept:The video demonstrates a group of confident and strong independent women dressed in their male alter egos. Their alter ego's are also a reflection and representation of their ex's that cheated. Each woman in the video however has a different story but they all come together venting their anger through the art of dance along with Barbarian. Reggie Bush plays Barbarian's cheating ex lover, who's being confronted by Barbarain during a heated confession. Throughout the video various other characters are portrayed as well. One of the characters is Marilyn Monroe who's being paid tribute in a side by side scene where a overly prideful "King B" (Barbarian's male alter ego) tries to out stage her. The beginning and the end of the video shows a scene of Babarian and a mysterious man nude intimately embracing each other.
Day 1: Nude Mystery Man Scene/ King B and Marilyn Monroe Face-off scenes (Filmed in Los Angeles)
Day 2: Army of Women Scene/Reggie Bush Confrontation Scene (Filmed in Lost Angeles)
"In this video we are playing with the concept of gender blending. I've always been obsessed with shock value in terms of choreography and wardrobe and I wanted to kind of step outside the box for the video but still bring it choreography wise. People are used to seeing me being all quote on quote "sexy", but I think that certain things are a bit double standard when it comes to that, so I purposely wanted to look like a "man". Me and Jamaica took a lot of inspiration from Michael Jackson and James Brown to create something innovative. Each women in this video is dressed like a boy because I thought it would be interesting for the women in the video to dress like their exes and it's something playfun and fun. It's like basically saying, we can do what you can do and look better doing it. I am in no way a feminist, but I just thought that it would be hilarious. There are scenes where I literally look like a boy though and I could not recognize myself when I looked in the mirror and that was terrifying. It's really cool though and I think people will enjoy it and maybe even want to try it at home". -
Barbarian 
The video opens up with a bare chested Barbarian embracing a mysterious muscular man who's also bare chested. The scene is in color, showing off both of their luscious and flaw-free skin. In this scene, the man's chest and arms are mostly covered in tattoos. The design of the tattoos indicate that it isn't Reggie Bush who will make a swift appearance in the next scene where Harris confronts him. Barbarian herself is seen completely nude throughout the scene, but the camera seems to only show Barbarian's face and from behind where her hair and body cover the man, never revealing the mysterious man's face. Her hands are seen pressed on the mans chest and body touching him in a seductive manner, making the scene very sensual but vulnerable. The sound of the trumpet also gives the scene a fitting touch. The spiral camera movement in this scene is inspired by Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up" music video with Kate Bush released back in 1986.
The sexy scene cuts off with Barbarian sitting in a throne dressed in baggy pants and an over sized tank top like a boy. This character she is portraying is her own male alter-ego named "King B". King B is known for cheating on Barbarina, he is very prideful and has an ego that not many women could ever burst. Her arms are seen tatted and her hands are shown close up and they also contain tattoos. On this scene, she grabs on to her crotch as she sits on his thrown and the scene quickly fades out to a more choreographed section. The choreography is much more tamed during this scene and Barbarian is seen confronting her ex boyfriend who's played by Reggie Bush. In the scene, he's seen mugging through his pride as Barbarian confronts him in a forceful and fearless manner. All these scenes are also shown in black and white color in contrast to the more sensual scene with barbarian and the mysterious man.
The tatoos showcased on King B's body are as followed:
"F*ck Love" - The one on the top part of her hand
"Cheat" - The side part of her right hand
"Boss Bitch" - On her arm
An angel with a crown that says
"King B"A caricature of a tomboy and the girl has her hat to the back. It symbolizes Barbarian.
"B" with a crown on it on her neck.
"A" - On her left hand which stands for Atlanta. It has Decatur and above it says "Zone Three", which is Riverdale and where Barbarian was raised.
The previous scene cuts back and forth with another where Barbarian is also seen dressed like a boy but this time she's joined by a group of strong female background dancers who are also dressed like boy in their own alter-ego's. They start doing choreography that mimics male behavior such as crotch grabbing, flexing of the arms, and hoop shooting. The choreography seems to also involve complex and fluid leg movement, involving swift turns and thrusting. The choreography is suggestive and feminine at times, but it remains tough and masculine throughout.
In this next scene more characters are introduced. Kind B is seen dressed up in a more casual attire, representing a more serious egotistical business man. However, standing aside from him is a more feminine Barbarian who's seen wearing a light-colored ivory cocktail dress similar to Marilyn Monroe's who's being paid tribute to. In these scene, King B is seen showing off his more complex leg choreography trying to out stage the more feminine Barbarian. She however manages to shrug him off stealing the spoiling using the power of beauty and grace. After accomplishing to out stage, she then places her stiletto heels on top of his shoulder, showing a sign of dominance and victory. A fierce wind then begins to blow and her dress is lifted up, once again as way to pay tribute to Marilyn Monroe.
During this scene the music comes to a stop and serves like a breakdown interlude. The sound of opera vocalist are heard in the background making this scene dramatic. The group of women who were seen earlier come together marching like soldiers surrounding King B who's now front and center. They march forcefully with wind blowing until King B begins to do her ultimate signature move. The move consist of bending your back as closest to the ground while maintaining afoot. King B is then seen doing the "matrix move" and close up shows . As she does the move all of the women drop to the ground due to the power of King B's presence and when she finished the move the women get back up to their feet and continue the choreography as the music continues.
After the breakdown comes to a finish, the group of women are seen in a more close up and intimate form as the music comes to an end. Barbarian is seen on the lap of her ex, acting playful but deceiving to his affection. The group of women are then seen pointing to the camera in slow motion sense.
The last bit where the music has come to a finish, consist of a swift look at Barbarian holding tightly to the mysterious man as the scene fades out never unveiling who the man was. The music video then ends in all black with the words "Cheat" being presented.
"Cheat" lyrics "Yes, it's Barbarian, and I'm back, haha, ooh
Oh I oh I oh I oh I yeah
Oh I oh I oh I oh I yeah
Oh I oh I oh I oh I baby
Oh I oh I oh I oh I yeah
The naughty things I did from hornyness
cause you put me through so many things
I gave my man all his modesty
But I know that he cheated on me
I caught him in his lie but all he does is cry to keep me near
you better wipe them eyes
boy I'm not fuckin' around
cause what I needed was your affection
Oh, So I cheat yeah
I Just keep it on the down low
cause nobody was supposed to know
So I cheat
yeah 'Cause he doesn't know what I do
and no attention Goes to show
oh so I cheat
The 23rd day of loneliness
cause we don't fuck like we used to do
better get used to the change
cause I'm not stressing
cause I know you did the same
yeah yeah
I'll keep giving loving till the day he pushes me away
and never go a day
If he knew the things I did he couldn't handle it
And I choose to be the one that isn't affected
So I cheat yeah
I Just keep it on the down low
cause nobody else supposed to know
So I cheat yeah
'Cause he doesn't know what I do and no attention goes to show oh so I cheat
I think about us baby all the time
But you know that I'm gonna need some affection
Yeah, yeah you can't deny it
I know you cheated baby, so will I
And you gotta know if you don't give me that D Imma get mine
ooh
Oh I oh I oh I Oh I yeah
Oh I oh I oh I Oh I baby
Oh I oh I oh I Oh I yeah
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" 