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Featuring selected videos from the ATX hip hop scene.
Magna Carda "Banger Jones" Directed by: Chris Beale
Jackie Venson "Now" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
Zeale "Hope Dies" Directed by: Jeff Ray
Plato III "Natalie Portman" Directed by: Aidan Myles Green
SaulPaul "RISE" Directed by: SaulPaul
Carlton Zeus "Ordinary" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
GO! "The Revamp" Directed by: Jefrey Johnson
Ben Cina and KJ Hines "Run" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
Rap of the Leopard "Hollywood" Directed by: Ben Snyder
Sertified "Where I Live" Directed by: Priscilla Villegas
Magna Carda "Banger Jones" Directed by: Chris Beale
The concept was built around the feeling of the song, how it made us feel, and where it took us. We wanted to make this video dark, gritty, and yet simplistic! We were hoping our stylistic choices would match up Megz Kelli's hard hitting lyrics, and we can honestly say the end result was better than we could've imagine.
Jackie Venson "Now" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
When Jackie Venson sent me the audio file for this song, I absolutely fell in love and had to be a part of the process. I listened to the song with my eyes closed for 2 hours before I ever touched my keyboard to type a treatment. The song is about living in the "Now" and not letting life get away from us. I went the approach of "Time, the one thing we all wish we had more of". As the video begins, K.J. Hines (The Rapper) is laying on the ground, and has an outer body experience to embark on a journey; the quest for more time. This quest for the understanding of time was represented by the watches scattered through-out the wooded path. Once he completes his purpose, he then becomes one with his body again. The inspiration of incorporating the dancer comes from one of my favorite quotes.
"We thought of life by analogy was a journey, was a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end. And the thing was to get to that end.
Success, or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you’re dead.
But we missed the point the whole way along.
It was a musical thing, and you were supposed to sing, or to dance, while the music was being played." - Alan Watts
This is what I wanted this video to mean. The dancer isn't wasting time watching life go by. She is dancing while the music is being played; free-form expression. The ribbons were part of the dance to stand for "going with the flow", not overthinking every detail. And I ran the dancing in reverse to symbolize that we should let life take us on the journey, not try to control every aspect of it. In reverse it looks as if the ribbons are guiding her movements as opposed to the reality of it.
Jackie Venson's set up, was staged pretty close to night time in the middle of the woods, hanging frames and clocks to add unity to the video. I wanted the idea of "suspended" time.
All together, the three concepts blended together well, and I couldn't be more excited to deliver this video to the Austin Music Video Festival. This is my passion, and this organization is helping me share that. Nothing means more than that.
Zeale "Hope Dies" Directed by: Jeff Ray
Hope Dies takes an in-depth look at the world as we know it and the looming repercussions of humanity’s footprint.
Director/Editor/Cinematographer : Jeff Ray
Video Producer : Lee Ann McAdoo
Music Producer : Dwight Baker of Matchbox Studios & introduction music by CJ Eriksson
Make-Up Design : Jennifer Kraack
Plato III "Natalie Portman" Directed by: Aidan Myles Green
For Plato III's debut song/video, he wanted to share his musings on making music and invite people inside to shed light on the lifestyle that was responsible for his perspective.
Saul Paul "RISE" Directed by: Bianca Neal
The lead single from SaulPaul's recent album is titled RISE. The song was written in the Live Music Capitol of the World, Austin, TX, but it was recorded in Nashville with the help of Grammy Winning, Platinum Selling Producer Billy Smiley. The song itself features SaulPaul rapping, singing, beat boxing and playing percussion on the guitar. Totally organic, totally from the soul. It serves a great snapshot of where SaulPaul has evolved to as an artist.
More than excited about how it turned out, SaulPaul returned to Austin to work with music video director on the rise, John Addabo. They were able to shoot a music video that caught the energy and emotion of the song.
Carlton Zeus "Ordinary" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
Sometimes.....you were just born to be different.
GO! "The Revamp" Directed by: Jefrey Johnson
Love is hard to find in Post-Apocalyptia, and when one has it, they will fight to the death to insure it stays with them.
Ben Cina and KJ Hines "Run" Directed by: Dewun Owusu
I've seen a lot of music videos where someone dies, but I don't think I've ever seen a video where the lead singer is dead through the entire video. That kept going through my head when I was concepting the idea for "My Last Confession". Is this too high concept for a small budget shoot? Is it going to come across with the morbid dark anxiety that I'm seeing in my head, or is it just going to feel like "Weekend at Bernie's"?
I pitched the idea to Ben, KJ Hines and their team expecting them to tell me the concept wouldn't work, but after listening to the song with them and explaining the idea, they agreed that the concept was spot on and they put their trust in me to pull it off. I was both excited and horrified that we were going to attempt this concept.
We were able to build a crew of incredibly talented individuals (including DP Andrew Baird and AD/Editor Drew Lewis) who were instrumental in making this concept look and feel legit. In addition, Wayne Dalchau was able to lock down some incredible locations and assist with some of the props that really helped bring this world to life. The last addition that really helped us pull the video off was lead actress Vicky Illk. Vicky can nail emotional scenes better than just about anyone I've seen and her performance didn't just come across well on camera, but it also helped set the mood for the entire shoot.
The shoot itself was brutal. Ben spent most of the day wrapped in blankets and duck tape getting dragged through the woods and we made KJ actually dig most of the grave for the final scene. We wanted to convey the brutality of the story by actually making everyone participate in the actions of the story. I'm pretty sure KJ wanted to throw a rock at me for half the day, but in the end his gritty performance along with Ben and Vicky's is what made this concept shine.
Sertified "Where I Live" Directed by Priscilla Villegas
The concept for the "Where I Live" video was generated to display the loving, bright and welcoming atmosphere the City Of Austin has to offer from the hip-hop stand point. Visuals included local attractions and colorful graphics.
