A music video for " One Mic " was directed by Chris Robinson and released on December 17 , 2001 , receiving heavy rotation on MTV , and 2002 MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Rap Video and Video of the Year . Robinson said in an interview with MTV that he wanted to feature references to the 1976 Soweto uprising in a music video , ultimately persuading Nas to include it in the video for the song . After the September 11 , 2001 attacks , the video 's production ran into difficulties due to the restrictions on international travel . The scene in the video of the riots was instead filmed in Los Angeles with participants from a local inner-city baseball team playing the rioters . The scene of the rock being thrown in the direction of the camera was taken over 10 times ( the actor " had a bit of a curve on his throwing arm , " according to Robinson ) before post-production work managed to complete the desired effect . Robinson also told his director of photography to open and close the shutters of the camera in the apartment scene , creating an effect of blurred streaks of light
Soweto uprising
Soweto uprising
One Mic