15/02/2000 16:20 GMT, MTV Europe HQ, Camden
Hype Williams sits on a stool in a tiny studio waiting to be interviewed by Donna Air.  He is due to appear in his role as the most famous video director on the planet.  The man born Harold Williams 29 years ago who is the first choice for anyone who's anyone in black pop: Nas, Will Smith, Puff Daddy, TLC.  He made rap and R&B sexy, shiny and fun again.  Most importantly, he made it MTV again.
          It's now nine years since Hype first started making tiny promotional films for Russell Simmons' Def Jam Recordings.  As a result, he has this video thing down.  Sure, he's got the record label, the consultancies, the websites and the production companies, but those are long-term, behind-the-scenes typs of enterprises.
          His debut feature, Belly, released in 1998, was widely criticised for concentrating on spectacle rather than storytelling.  But Hype remains unfazed, pointing out that the film has now become something of a cult.  So even though there were various film-related deals in the works, the Julien Macdonald show is something different -- a chance for Hype to prove that he can move on and, just because he's been making fantastic videos for more than six years, it doesn't mark the sum of his talents.
          While he's been in London, there have been enough breaks form the backroom chores of his production role to remind you that he's as much of a celebrity as half the people he makes glow and groove on camera.  Such as his invitation the previous week to the London premiere of The Beach.  Why was he invited?  Because his friend Leo DiCaprio was in it, of course.
          Hype has a big, open face and five-inch dreads which he twirls when he's nervous, or bored, or waiting for something to happen.  Like now.  He pulls back the sleeve of his red Phat Farm top and looks at his watch.  "What's the time?" he yelps.  "Right, so that's four, three, two, one, 12, 11..."
          Is he jet-lagged?
          "Nah," he says.  "I'm workin' London hours in the day and LA hours and New York hours at night."
          Hype walks across the mess of wires to take up his position on Donna's creamy sofa.  While the cameras are on, they talk about how nice it is to have famous friends and how great it is to be in London, and field phone calls from people who want to make videos when they're grown up.  When they're off camera, they talk about mutal friend Nellee Hooper, who is doing the music for Julien's show, and how Hype should come down to the opening of The Rock club on Wednesday night.
          "I'm running over time," announces Donna, going back on air.  "But I don't care."  This allows Hype, with a refreshing disregard for fashion protocol, to invite everyone who's watching to come along to the Dome on Thursday, because he's collaborating with Julien Macdonald for his fashion show, and it's going to be something special.

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