Welcome to TWIB’s Weekly Top 5 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 really 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.

Rockwelz x REKS – “Ballot or the Bullet”

Rockwelz and REKS team up for “Ballot or the Bullet”, a conscious and thoughtful tune that aims to uplift our consciousness. Over a retro cinematic backdrop made up of smooth guitar riffs and punchy drum breaks, the emcees bring knowledge on wax as they explore the plight of black people and minorities in the USA and the power of the ballot box in making sure the right man gets into the position to effect real change within the masses. The track also splices the legendary speech by Malcolm X who stated similar issues decades ago. The video vividly shows the potential obstacles of a black citizen in America just wanting to cast their Ballot.

Alpha Hugo – “Cancer Symptoms”

Hyde Park Cincinnati, born hip-hop artist Alpha Hugo shares the heartfelt single titled “Cancer Symptoms” which details his health issues, especially his battle with stage III Hodgkin lymphoma. The somber tune sees him reflecting on his journey thus far and how having determination propelled him to chase his dreams instead of wallowing in his sorrow.

The visual is cinematic and captures the rapper in his element doing what he loves and staying positive through it all.

TheBabyDon – “Mood”

Emerging TheBabyDon shares the visuals for her song “Mood” which literally showcases what she feels like at the moment. Over a bouncy and catchy production, she delivers a smooth melodic performance ripe with bravado and a carefree demeanor as she pens an adulation-filled track to someone who is on her mind. The Chesapeake, Virginia-raised native is in high spirits as well and the visuals really capture it. With TheBabyDon’s eye contact and natural connection to the camera, it seems as if the video viewer is her love interest, sitting on the other side of the lens.

Seleminga – “Trou noir”

Berlin-based French-Senegalese singer and producer Seleminga caught our eyes with the cinematic visuals for her song titled “Trou noir”. The track is moody and experimental and captures her stylish melodic runs and heartfelt lyrics that detail personal loss and the concept of finding one’s true north after it. The visual is expressive and makes use of interesting performance shots with abstract set pieces with sultry choreography to match. The visual was shot in Berlin a day before all the clubs and bars were shut down due to the pandemic.

STXRM – “Feel Free”

STXRM helps us close out this week’s list with “Feel Free”, a soulful and reflective tune that displays the rapper’s pen game in its raw form. He delivers a vivid tale that dwells on a blossoming love and how the dynamics between boy and girl can get after the deed is done. The visual shot by Elia Creative is quite different and instead of performance shots, it makes use of looped visual clips of STXRM himself and the car he is in.

Stream “Feel Free” on ALL platforms here.