Several new videos from many of today’s biggest names in hip-hop were dropped this past week. Here are 5 of the best ones that you should definitely check out:
2 Chainz- Trap Check
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The artist formerly known as Tity Boi dropped not one, not two, but THREE new music videos during the last seven days for songs from his latest album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. While the videos for “Sleep When U Die” and the Migos-assisted “Blue Cheese” are both great videos in their own right, neither can match “Trap Check” in creativity or eeriness. The black-and-white video features 2 Chainz mostly rapping in a throne on a giant chessboard with humans serving as the pieces (perhaps to symbolize himself as the King of the Trap game). The video itself is an interesting juxtaposition between hype and horror with the human chess pieces going around and killing each other like it’s the Hunger Games in some scenes while getting straight t’d in others. Either way though, one thing about this music video is certain: the game of chess has never looked this lit.
Lil Bibby- Free Crack 4 Intro
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It’s been almost two years since audiences’ ears were blessed by Free Crack 3. Now, the Chicago legend is ready to re-up with the fourth installment of his iconic mixtape series. Lil Bibby doesn’t have time to play any games in his new music video. He just raps straight inferno into the camera for two and a half minutes and by the end, he’ll leave you itching for some more. FC4 is on the way soon, and if the whole project is to share any semblance with the intro, then we should be sure to expect another outstanding mixtape.
Vince Staples- Rain Come Down feat. Ty Dolla $ign
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“Rain Come Down” was the last single Vince Staples dropped before releasing his outstanding new album, Big Fish Theory, but he was quick to unveil the video, releasing it just minutes after BFT went up for streaming. The video seems to pick up where the video for “Big Fish” ended, with the Ramona Park rapper being shipwrecked and deserted. The video almost doubles as a Sprite commercial with the blatant product placement of an empty Sprite bottle essentially being Vince’s main tool of survival by pointing him to the direction of safety. It’s a great commercial though, with the video being just as beautiful as the song, and the song itself is pretty damn beautiful. It’s simple, yet elegant, and the final shot should leave you thinking about the possible meaning behind the Big Fish Theory, as well as leaving you with a thirst for a cold, delicious Sprite.
Desiigner- Outlet
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Speaking of commercials, Desiigner dropped a new one for Adidas with the “Outlet” music video, but it’s so damn lit that it even doesn’t matter that there’s so much product placement or that this song came out almost five months ago. Honestly, aside from the reasonable criticism of his rapping abilities, how can anyone hate on Desiigner as a person? He looks like he’s having the time of his life in this video, which prominently features Manchester United star Paul Pogba getting t’d alongside the Brooklyn native. On top of that, Desiigner actually drops some bars in this song, and seeing him spit (figuratively and literally) straight into the camera towards the end while he’s dropping lines that address his haters is honestly so damn empowering. I felt like running a marathon after watching this video. Instead of running 26 miles though, I ended up taking a Lyft to Wingstop and eating 26 wings but you can bet your ass I still had “Outlet” playing in my headphones motivating me to finish strong.
Meek Mill- YBA feat. The-Dream
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The Philadelphia rapper quietly dropped this track Saturday night and it’s so damn good. It’s a classic style hip-hop song with boom-bap production that flips a Jay-Z sample and has a powerful message about the plight that many young Black men face while living in America. The video is a direct reflection of said message with Meek spending the majority of it speaking to a teenager and warning him about just what will happen if he devotes his life to the streets. The video goes back and forth between Meek, the teen and stark images of street life including gang violence, drug deals and funerals. It’s a sobering message, but one that’s always needed and is one of the things that makes hip-hop so great.
