THE WEEKLY TOP 10 VIDEOS [EPISODE 146]

Welcome to TWIB’s Weekly Top 10 Videos. This segment looks at exceptional visuals from various acts around the globe. The music video format has been around for decades, from the 90s and 2000s, and has shifted from multi-million-dollar-budget music videos to mid- to low-budget videos with exceptional production values. In this section, we will not discriminate but highlight some creative visuals that pop up on our radar.

Again, we promise to bring you the best from high to low budget, from animated to DIY and first and foremost, the most creative visuals we can source.

Read the previous editions HERE.

Kurupt “Nine & Chrome Fiend” featuring Kokane (Prod. Rakim x Storm)

Hip-hop icons Rakim, Kurupt, and Masta Killa’ recently released their collaborative album, The Godbody, and now they return with the visual for Kurupt’s solo outing “Nine & Chrome Fiend.” The tribute track is Kurupt’s version of Rakim’s classic “Microphone Fiend” and sees the Dogg Pound emcee in his lyrical element from start to finish. The visual blends performance shots of Kurupt alongside tons of cameos from emcees like Daz, Ras Kass, MC Eiht and others.

Preston Pablo – “Anything”

Juno Award-winning, multi-platinum pop artist Preston Pablo releases the lighthearted new single “Anything” alongside a visualizer. The feel-good track talks about the desire to become a better person for that special someone. The melodies are rich and quite catchy, especially the hook, and it is perfect for anyone’s summer playlist.

To coincide with the release of “Anything”, Preston also announces the new EP All At Once for release on November 27.

Kofi Stone, Mahalia – “Sicily”

Kofi Stone continues to shine on his ongoing music releases, with the latest being “Sicily.” The soul/hop track finds him teaming up with singer/songwriter Mahalia for a heartfelt piece about blossoming love and creating memories with your significant other. Against a laidback, guitar-driven backdrop, Kofi Stone shares a timeless love tale followed by Mahalia’s sultry hook that helps tie it all together. The visual is a motif-driven clip that captures Kofi Stone as he goes about his daily activities while keeping in touch with that special someone.

The track is taken from his project The Last Flower To Bloom.

Fat Joe x Pusha T x Dre – “Set Of Keys”

Fat Joe, Pusha T, and producer Dre team up for “Set of Keys” from Fat Joe’s Organized Rhyme album. The track is a showcase of lyrical mastery from each emcee as they blend street imagery with the glitz of the entertainment world. The backdrop provided by Dre is brooding and evokes urgency, which sets the perfect canvas for the emcees, and the picture painted is perfect to a T. The visuals are performance-based, with smooth cut scenes and subtle effects that highlight the dark and gripping lyrics.

MATHEMATICS – “GOD BODY” FEATURING METHOD MAN & AZ

Wu-Tang Clan‘s own Mathematics, who produced many of the crew’s classic cuts, is prepared to release his new album, Black Samson: The Saga Continues, the follow-up to Black Samson: The Bastard Swordsman. In the interim, he shares the new single “God Body” featuring Method Man and AZ, which is accompanied by a video. The track’s production is cinematic and gripping enough to evoke the classic Wu/NY underground sound, while the lyrical showcase from Meth and SOSA is as impeccable as ever. The visual blends performance shots with clips of he emcees playing chess with numerous opponents, alluding to their lyrical genius.

Los Chicos Criollos – “Olmedo Y Porcel”

Los Chicos Criollos is a duo made up of Kingdom Kome and Che Uno, stepping to the forefront with their new single  “Olmedo Y Porcel.” The title is a homage to the legendary Argentinian comedy duo Alberto Olmedo and Jorge Porcel, and it sees the duo trading bars in English and Spanish over a smooth, bouncy soundscape provided by DJ RUEN. The visual was shot on location at the El Almacen Café in Toronto, Canada, by WIZDOME BUNITALL (for Fuego Films), who brings the song to life with a scenic and engaging visual style.

“Olmedo Y Porcel” is the first leak from the forthcoming Los Chicos Criollos album, Merca Musica to drop on November 10th via Walking With Enoch Music

The Grand Old Echo – “Pierrot”

The Grand Old Echo caught our ears and eyes with “Pierrot,” a conceptual and heartfelt track that explores sadness and mental health in the modern world. The production blends folk music elements with circus aesthetics and spoken-word rap powered by expressive vocal stylings. The lyrics are particularly dark and moody, with lines like “My darkest act, a darker pact, A road that once embarked upon,/You can’t turn back./Can a heartless man have a heart attack? Yep” underscoring the emotional depths not explored by many artists. The visual style is reminiscent of 90s alternative videos with a lot of motifs, brooding set pieces and elements that highlight the dark theme in the track.

Pop Stunna – “Back Again”

Grammy-nominated Austin, Texas artist Pop Stunna returns with “Back Again,” a celebratory track that reminds listeners of his arrival. Backed by an anthemic backdrop filled with cinematic synths and thumping drum grooves, the rapper steps to the forefront with raw confidence and untethered passion as he stands his ground against the detractors and naysayers. The visual style is a mix of performance shots and B-roll that highlight their stomping grounds.

Kwame – “Stroke Dif’Rent”

Legendary rapper/producer Kwamé returns with “Stroke Dif’Rent,” a conceptual track that flips the classic sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes’ into something refreshing and energetic. The self-produced track showcases Kwamé’s genius as he blends expressive flows with vocal samples to accentuate the imagery and retro pop references. The song also comes with an AI-assisted visual by JeremIA-video‬ , who uses characters from the classic sitcom to join Kwamé in different situations.

Micah Vaultz – “Say Girl,”.

Micah Vaultz‘s “Say Girl” is a heartfelt tale of blossoming love where nothing is certain but the hope and dreams one has to live it. The production has a retro soul feel that works well with the rapper’s laidback flow and emotional lyrics.

The visual style has a dreamy and atmospheric feel that follows the rapper in an alternative world with the woman of his dreams.