Welcome to TWIB’s Weekly Top 10 Videos. This is a segment where we will be looking at some exceptional visuals from various acts from around the globe. The music video format has been around for decades and through the 90s and 2000s, it has taken flight from multi-million budget music videos, to mid to low-budget videos with exceptional features. In this section, we will not discriminate but rather highlight some of the creative visuals that pop up on our radar.
Again, we promise to bring you the best from high to low budget, to animated to DIY and first and foremost, the most creative visuals we can source.

Read on the previous editions HERE.

SNI – “Dolce”

South East London rapper SNI help us kick off this week’s video playlist with his release “Dolce”. He delivers an adulation-filled performance over the atmospheric and dark soundscape with his distinct baritone flow and confident demeanour. The visual is a performance-driven shot that captures his distinct style.

Nicky MacKenzie – “Morals”

Rising singer/songwriter Nicky MacKenzie shares the visuals for “Morals, ” the title track of her forthcoming EP. The self-empowering track explores the concept of finding one’s true voice after living most of the time as a people pleaser. Over a bass-heavy drum groove and gloomy soundscape, Nicky takes audiences through a journey of self-discovery where taking accountability leads to a change in morals. The accompanying visuals use different cinematic motifs and performance shots that capture Nicky’s expressive vocal style.

SBL WORLD – “Badman”.

Ghanaian afrobeats/afro fusion artist SBL WORLD caught our eyes and ears with his social-political track “Badman”. Over the cinematic textures and hypnotic rhythm, SBL WORLD talks about life struggles and how preconceived notions can be detrimental to people. His easy-to-follow melodic flow and candid lyrics are the icing on the cake here and the motif-driven visual using performance shots, dark lighting and engaging shots help bring the song to life.

Colt Williams – “Collection Plate”.

Multifaceted artist Colt Williams plays the part of a man looking for a purpose in life in the visual for his new single “Collection Plate”. The track is reflective and illustrates the imbalance in life when it plays us different cards. The visual uses a modern depiction of Biblical stories of Jesus to drive home the story. We follow an unknown man who turns water into wine and chases the money dealers out of the synagogue before leading his disciples to salvation and the story continues.

Arcturus The Architect – “So Nice”.

Arcturus The Architect makes his entry on our video playlist with his newest release titled “So Nice”. The mid-tempo song is an uplifting and groovy tune that is bolstered by Arcturus’s smooth flow and engaging lyricism. The production is a blend of future funk with a boom-bap rhythm and soulful aesthetics and the performance-based visual captures Arcturus’ passionate demeanour and distinct style that pays homage to the golden era of rap.

Team Demo – “Creep” (feat. MC Eiht & MONTAGE ØNE)

Team Demo shares the visuals for “Creep” featuring MC Eiht and MONTAGE ØNE. Bolstered by the bass-driven production, legendary Westcoast emcee MC Eiht and MONTAGE ØNE deliver that message with raw passion and quotable rhymes like “No pictures, no IGs, no TikToks or twitters/Just killers and penitence with no feelings/Willing to open fire/Let out the whole entire round to your crown/Murk the plug and the fucking buyer”.

The video was shot by Starz Coleman and directed by MONTAGE ØNE who helped blend live o location performance clips and splice them with Eiht’s appearances in the 1993 classic, Menace II Society. It’s a creative concept that blends the past and the present while also perfectly capturing the vibes of the track. Check out the visuals and head over to your preferred platform to support Team Demo’s compilation LP, It’s a Demo, which is available now through all major DSPs with limited copies available on vinyl via Team Demo Music in partnership with Every Hood Records and Fat Beats Records.

Parallax – “Sacrifice”.

UK emcee Parallax shows us what true “Sacrifice” looks like in his latest effort. The reflective tune produced by Certi Beats is hard-hitting with thick bass lines, punchy drums and a sublime texture to match Parallax’s take on the never-ending struggles of the indie artist whose work hasn’t delivered substantial ROI. Far from being down and out, Parallax details the downside of being independent and having dreams in a reality where it takes more than dreams but rather hard work to reach one’s goals. The song also comes with a video shot by Honey Jd who brings the song to life with cinematic wide and close shots of the rapper in different spots.

Moemaw Naedon & NoCasino – “Burnt Sidewalks”

Pittsburgh emcee Moemaw Naedon and producer NoCasino team up for a trippy new single/video, “Burnt Sidewalks“. Over the dark and haunting backdrop, Moemaw comes in blazing with evocative lyrics like, “Burnt sidewalks from the slimedrops/ Of a martini-sippin’ trench coat cyclops.” Moemaw liked the collab so much that he knew it deserved the video treatment. After a chance meeting with Kiews and Steve Baksis from Dirty Martini Studios, they put together the concept for the “Burnt Sidewalks” video. This included gathering more than a dozen tube-style TVs and fully embracing their psychedelic side to bring their vision to life.

Young T & Bugsey – “Been A Minute”

Nottingham Rap duo Young T & Bugsey break their two-year hiatus with their new release “Been A Minute”. The Young T-produced track has a laidback warm texture and head-nodding bounce underpinned by the duo’s distinct storytelling skills that help bring fans up to date with their endeavours. Both emcees share some intimate and touching stories that centre around building relationships, fatherhood and growth. The accompanying visual serves as an extra canvas for the duo as we see them in their element basking in the life they helped build for their families.

Monty – “Barely Enough”

Monty helped close out this week’s playlist with “Barely Enough”, an anthemic tune that explores the mindset of a winner and champion. The production is punchy and cinematic and sees Monty embodying his true strength in the face of adversity. The visual uses performance shots and basketball-driven story to bring the message to the screens.