Kanye West's 'Mercy' Video: One Continuous Black-And-White Shot

Kanye West's creative acumen is hard to deny.

Sure, his music videos may not always make what one calls "sense" - seriously, you can't watch "Runaway" and tell me that "Southland Tales" doesn't make more sense than that hot mess - but he stands out.

His just-released clip for "Mercy," his collaboration with Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz, shows that when his videos aren't overwhelming explosions of color, light and the occasional "WTF" imagery, he can take very few elements and make a compelling clip. This one features the four rappers dropping bombs as a black-and-white camera pans across a room populated otherwise only by a few choice cars.

Oh, and a dancing Kid Cudi. Why? Because....dancing Kid Cudi, that's why.

Really, tha'ts what makes it so compelling. Forget the standard quick cuts and crazy camera angles. This is just a steady pan from performer to performer, but it holds your gaze. It's like a staring contest with a Calvin Klein cologne ad - and that actually might be the best possible comparison. When your background is that spare, you'll focus on whatever else you're given. It's a good way to let the song have the spotlight.

It's right up there with "All Falls Down," "Through The Wire" and "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" among his most focused, nicely put-together clips.