It’s not who I am, it’s just what I do!
A friend of mine, OG, who is a very talented director & photographer, recently released behind the scenes video and photos from a documentary series he’s been working on with hip-hop artist J.Cole. He went on tour with Cole all over the US and Canada, as he promoted his sophomore effort, “Born Sinner” album…with the Dollar and a Dream Tour!! Check it out here >> http://ogdirector.com/jcole/
And — here’s an embed of the video too…
J. Cole – Dollar & A Dream Tour NYC from LUXURY MINDZ on Vimeo.
Bon Qui Qui is back!! She’s left the hood and has a HOT new song…. Check it out: “I’m A Cut You”
Buy it on itunes here – http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/im-a-cut-you-single/id500773352?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
I was lucky enough to attend “Watch The Throne” in Miami last night, courtesy of Dontaira and Kia… 🙂 The Jay-Z and Kanye concert is nothing short of fabulous, amazing, exciting and inspiring!! The energy inside American Airlines Arena was unbelievable, not an empty seat in the house..and of course plenty of star sightings with DWade and LeBron leading the way, (on what could’ve been a HEAT game night at Triple A), but nonetheless, thousands upon thousands of Hip Hop fans threw the Roc in the air to party with the best of ’em – myself included! 😉
I borrowed the above pic from @CCole_E twitter, cuz apparently her tickets were slightly closer then mine…LOL!! I’m not complaining though…I had a great view of everything I needed to see.
The set design and staging for the show were extremely well done, they had a main stage with a platform that went up and down centered in front of it, then opposite there was another platform which could be raised as well, bringing the artists closer to the crowd across the main stage.
The lighting and use of lasers, fire and effects = mind-blowing…I was seriously mesmerized.
Obviously I wouldn’t expect anything less from Hip Hop Royalty, but all the staging, paired with SO MANY hits…all that music…WOW, just WOW!
During the 2 hour show they each had their own sets in addition to performing several songs together from Watch The Throne and elsewhere….but more than anything, I loved hearing Jay’s hits that took me back a good decade + … and being surrounded with everyone else who felt it too.
And — the best part, they did “Ni**as in Paris” 5 TIMES!! Twice to close the show and 3 times for an encore….and each time they re-started the crowd loved it that much more! “THAT SHIT CRAY!!!”
Shouts to my concert date Kimi..it was her FIRST EVER rap/hip hop concert!! I know, right!?!? It was a hot, sweaty, humid mess inside the Arena, but worth every beat that we danced too.
How many artists can make tens of thousands (grown ass adult fans) throw the Roc symbol in the air and all be on the same beat…. If they’re coming to an arena near you…you DON’T want to miss it…simply EPIC.
Last week I orchestrated the “Green Gobblin” Video Release Party at Club Play on Miami Beach. The event was a huge success… Blackwatch Studio edited an awesome video loop that played on the club’s screens throughout the night, including a HUGE panoramic, 3-D screen. Video Director Antwan “Shake” Smith showed up in support along with the video’s makeup artist, stylist and video girls…yours truly (producer) was hanging out too!! YMCMB Mack Maine showed out to support, along with Short Dawg…also spotted were Trey Songz and lots of SEXY Miamians. A BIG Thanks you to our partners for the event Headliner Market Group, Music Matrix and 305 Movement! Below check some flicks from the shin dig and video highlights too!
Jae Millz – “Green Goblin” Release Party from Merge Hip-Hop on Vimeo.
The Official music video for Jae Millz ft. Chris Brown is (finally) here!! One of the many hats I wear is as a manager to Young Money artist Jae Millz, so I shifted into PRODUCER mode to get this video done. It’s a really fun video, that I think is so refreshing in the music/rap/hIp hop game… The “Dead Presidents” (face-paint) theme is taken from thE movie and also Millz’ same name mixtape released over the summer where the Green Gobblin track first appeared. The song will now be the first single off his forth-coming debut album, “Nothing Is Promised,” slated to release next summer. Everything was pretty much shot on green screen with the exception of the opening (alley) scene. There are lots of fun visuals and it’s definitely a song you want to move to and this pairing works well with CB doing his dance thing and RAPPING, while Millz adds his Harlem-bred talent! Check it out, let me know what you think… Next stop is a red carpet awards show! 😉 FOREVERMILLZ.COM
Directed by Antwan Smith of Vigorous Films
Edited by Lution Media
Produced by Sway Mendez, Aubrey Aquino and Remy Pierre
Make-up – Kimberly Keppard
Stylist – Abriel Bolton
***ALSO for you novice and aspiring video directors/editors/producers, we teamed up with MusicMatrix.com for a video editing contest and you can go in and remix the video with unused scenes, etc… AND THERE ARE PRIZES!!!***
A video project I have been heavily involved in is the “Green Gobblin” music video by my artist, Jae Millz featuring Chris Brown. The video was shot recently in Miami, while I was in Mexico…so there was a lot of careful pre-production that went into it, to minimize my phone time in Mexico! lol BTW, it’s GOBBLIN with two “b’s” because as Jae said….there’s 2 “Goblins” in the video…him and CB! Oh isn’t he SOOO creative!?!?
At any rate, now the video is in post, being edited, and I’m overseeing/supervising all the cuts, effects, etc… This is my first hands-on experience with a “music” video, but I’m finding that my editing know-how as well as (news) writing, reporting, producing background is actually helping a lot. And — I just know what I want, how I want it and definitely what I don’t like!! So, along with a few other key opinions (director, Jae, other producers and editor) this is going to be ONE HELLUVA MUSIC VIDEO!! CB is rapping, we’ve got the Dead Pres theme, Mack Maine makes a cameo and we linked up with Music Matrix for a video remix contest!! The Official GREEN GOBBLIN music video is set to premiere on http://musicmatrix.com on Dec 15, and we’ve also got a South Beach launch party in the works! Be on the lookout, you’ll be sure to see this vid popping up everywhere and getting a strong buzz! Red Carpet..here I come!! 🙂 In the meantime, here’s some behind the scenes videos and photos.
Thank you’s to everyone on Team Millzy: Director Antwan Smith, Producers Sway Mendez & Remy Pierre, Makeup Artist Kimi, Stylist Brie, my models Jovana and Carin and everyone else who’s supported and helped make this video a reality. And I can’t forget our sponsors – Fever, Nuvo, Ciroc and Music Matrix! Green Gobblin…December 15!!!!
Jae Millz OFFICIAL website http://ForeverMillz.com
My artist Jae Millz released his latest mixtape yesterday, “The Flood Never Ended.” It’s the 4th installment in “The Flood ” series and this one plays more like a street album with no freestyles! Music on this “DJ Ill Will and DJ Rockstar present” CD release, also features VADO, Yo Gotti, Show Tufli, Meek Mill and Tity Biy.
Listen and download NOW! DJ Ill Will & DJ Rockstar present: THE FLOOD NEVER ENDED Welcome Home Weezy Edition >> http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/en/view-album/4948-the-flood-never-ended
And… *The first 100 (t-shirt) orders at http://forevermillz.bigcartel.com will receive a signed copy of “The Flood Never Ended!” LEGGGOOO
Also, check out this video for “Remain In The Sky” …one of the songs off The Flood Never Ended. Video directed and edited by Wolph Creations.
I attended a press event at the Delano on Miami Beach this evening. Jay-Z and BING have teamed up with a fun, very creative way to promote his forthcoming book DECODED with an interactive game on BING. The book will be released on November 16. BTW…my friend Luxury Mindz has a page (photo he took) in that book too, so look out for it!!
Basically, we all gathered in the pool area of the Delano Hotel and Jay-Z, along with the CEO of BING made an announcement about his book and showed a video that pretty much showcased the billboards and different marketing of how this Decode Jay-Z stuff works. Now, this is pretty cool..the first person to “decode” a particular page wins that page autographed and there will only be one…and the first guy/fan who successfully decoded, was present…and they presented him with his page! He came all the way from London and he explained how he was able to do the decode. Then, they asked us to all go over to the pool…
Well, when they turned the lights on..this is what we got… the next page to decode! Pretty amazing… it’s the lyrics to Big Pimpin’ if I’m not mistaken. *Sidenote – as I attempted to take the above photo with my blackberry, I sort of had to get up to the very edge of the pool and you know when you try to hold the camera over someone’s head to take a picture…uhm, well I was pretty much doing that over Beyonce’s head (well to the side)…except I didn’t realize it was her until my girl pointed it out to me (after the fact)!! LOL I can be a little oblivious at times… I mean, it’s not like she was wearing a red dress or anything!?!? YES, she was in RED….Ha! Anyhoo, no harm done, but I felt bad…I’m not one to be all pushy, but I was so taken by the pool, I had to snap a photo…and since I was on paparazzi status…I decided to take one of Jigga too!
Here’s the official DECODED + BING description from the press release:
Today Bing, the decision engine from Microsoft, launched a multi-platform search experience and interactive game to help fans decode JAY-Z’s life and lyrics found in his debut book, DECODED. Through an unprecedented partnership with Bing, JAY-Z’s words will be taken off the page allowing readers to find the very locations that inspired them.
Online, fans will find a one of a kind search experience built on Bing technologies using Bing Maps and Bing Entertainment to walk the streets JAY-Z walked, searching and deciding how to decode his life and lyrics at every turn. Over the course of one month, five to ten pages will be unveiled each day, allowing fans to come together as a community to compile DECODED online before it hits bookshelves. 200 winners and one grand prize winner will be selected from the people who help uncover the 300-plus pages, located in 15 locations around the world and in Bing Maps.
You know, maybe I should get in on this puzzle solving stuff, I really like exercising my mind, and one of my friends was telling me (not too long ago) how popular this scavenger hunt stuff is getting. So, go ahead…it’s your chance to Decode Jay -Z with BING! http://bing.com/jay-z
