Posted by Emily Exton on 06/17/2011 at 4:26 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: chris brown, new boyz

Sometimes summer fun is nothing more than getting a gratis hot dog from a vendor in a park. New Boyz and Chris Brown play to their respective ages in the new video “Better With the Lights Off,” hanging out with friends and plotting ways to get ladies while out and about on a sunshine day. There’s a retro feel to the clip, from the neon bubble letters to Brown’s Adidas track suits. But while Breezy sings the chorus all by his lonesome—excluding the picturesque scenery of L.A.’s Echo Park behind him—Dominic and Earl break out the official summertime uniform (jorts) and chase after pretty ladies on bikes. It all quickly moves from a PG scene from a high school field day, to a slightly saucier dance party, thanks to some Day-Glo inside a magic school bus, which is not entirely unlike “Super Bass” from Nicki Minaj, although the Barbie would rather ride an iced motorcycle, which we completely understand. In fact, did we spot Nicki in the end? Someone looks familiar (or at least parts of her do). The Boyz instruct us not to be offended by the song’s title, so with that aside, “Better With The Lights Off” is frothy fun, following the neon colors and ’80s throwbacks seen in recent clips from Ms. Minaj and Katy Perry that make us want to throw summer parties of our own. So when you head out on your summer solstice party shopping trip, don’t forget the black light.