You Love Me depicts larger-than-life Black celebrities standing shoulder to shoulder with everyday Black people, shedding light on the centuries-long hypocrisy that America loves Black culture but fails to respect the lives behind it. The film aims to unpack the question, “You love Black Culture, but do you love me?” by speaking from inside the Black community, outwards. The intro sequence and Act 1 speaks on an outsider’s gaze and worship of Black art, athletics, and aesthetics, then moving into Act 2, which recalls a history of hate and violence toward Black people. From there, the third act’s narration turns toward self-love and love of others in the Black community, begging nothing of ill-minded people and plainly declaring that, “Love me or not, we love each other deeply.”

You Love Me is a commentary on America’s history of mistreating Black people as well as a look at the world’s fascination with and appropriation of Black culture. While using colloquial speechfar, the film still felt relatable to a global audience – including highlighting talent that is loved globally. It’s worth nothing that while some of the faces on-screen were well-known, it scripted in depictions of their identity that many don’t know about. Like highlighting Naomi Osaka’s Haitian heritage or showing a stripped-back, introspective side of Lil Baby. Even the voiceover artist, rapper Tobe Nwigwe, was chosen deliberately to connect on a deeper level with an audience in the know.

The treatment aimed to depict everyday Black life in a way that felt both entirely familiar but also traditionally unseen on-screen, especially in branded content. The visual world was all about seeing Black people as extremely diverse but all united by their ordinary existence – from young children to larger-than-life celebrities. To make this vision come to life, Beats was hyper-diligent in casting, set dressing, wardrobing, and scene building. No stone was left unturned in attempting to depict as wide a swath of the African Diaspora as possible. Aesthetically, the approach begged for authenticity and texture that came through by shooting on film – with each shot meant to feel like a living, breathing still life in the frame. While the visuals toe the line between everyday ritual and otherworldly feats, it sought to never escape reality in a way that distracted from the core message.