DJ Premier paid tribute to Diane Martel, who passed away, last week, after a battle with breast cancer. Martel directed a number of iconic music videos over the years for high-profile artists, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and more. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Premier shared a picture of Martel and noted that she was behind the Gang Starr video, “Mass Appeal.”
“R.I.P. DIANE MARTEL who passed Sept. 18th from breast Cancer. She directed our @gangstarr video ‘MASS APPEAL’ (1994),” Premier wrote. “She directed so many classics from Onyx (Throw Ya Gunz), ODB (Brooklyn Zoo), Method Man (Bring The Pain), Clipse (Grindin), Big Shug (Treat U Better), Keith Murray (The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World), Khia (My Neck, My Back), Alicia Keys (If I Ain’t Got You), Mariah Carey (Dreamlover/All I Want For Christmas), Christina Aguilera (Genie In A Bottle), Robin Thicke (Blurred Lines), Miley Cyrus (We Can’t Stop) and many more… And add Photography to her menu. Your endless history will remain recognized. Sleep Peacefully.”
Fans joined in showing love for Martel in the replies to Premiere’s post. “Those of us that grew up in the era of Yo, Rap City, MTV Jams, TRL, Video Vibrations, 106 and Park where your lead single didn’t hit without a video… we know Diane Martel had CLASSICS in the tuck and jumpstarted first week album sales like adrenaline shots. RIP,” one user wrote. Another added: “Wow. This woman had a wild sense of vision to bring all of these great songs to life in video form. RIP but thank you for your contributions to the world. They’ll live on forever.”
Diane Martel Music Videos
In addition to working on Gang Starr’s “Mass Appeal,” Diane Martel also directed several music videos for Mariah Carey, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Brooklyn Zoo,” N.E.R.D.’s “Lapdance,” and Clipse’s “Grindin’.” She also handled several videos for Beyoncé, Ciara, The Killers, and many more artists.
In 2000, she was nominated for MTV’s Video of the Year for “What a girl wants” by Christina Aguilera. She was nominated again in 2013 for “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I.
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