West Coast Rappers Aim To Spark Conversation & Debate With New Single & Video
The Video:
Los Angeles based songwriter, producer and rapper Kidd Upstairs and his collaborator, San Diego hip-hop artist XO, are fully aware of how their new single and video, "Amanda Bynes," could be construed by the media and the general public. The actress' new appearance, alleged strange behavior, and notorious tweets and video posts now provide nearly daily fodder for gossip and entertainment blogs, with some going so far as to suggest Bynes' is mentally ill and should be institutionalized. Some may find the music video, which mixes footage spanning Bynes' twenty-year career in television and film with numerous paparazzi videos chronicling her more recent "erratic" behavior, mocking or disparaging, however Kidd Upstairs intends just the opoosite.
"I don't believe Amanda Bynes has done, or is doing, anything wrong," he explains. "She is expressing her desire to change and grow...this video isn't here to judge." Born in Oakland, California, and having since relocated to LA to pursue his music career, Kidd Upstairs understands the artifice of celebrity and the often restrictive expectations it imposes on the stars it creates. He continues, "Our culture has an expectation that you're supposed to remain the same core person through your entire life, and I don't agree. I think what makes us human is our primal necessity for change."
Ultimately, viewers will have to decide for themselves whether or not the song and video are a tongue-in-cheek homage or an evisceration, much in the same way the media and public will continue to debate as to Bynes' current state of being, which is precisely the type of discourse Kidd Upstairs and XO aim to create. With each new tweet or video Bynes unleashes on the world we will continue to question whether she is simply growing and changing, an active auteur of her new narrative, or whether we are witnessing her gradual destruction. And it's certainly anyone's guess whether she'll be bopping her head along to a rather catchy song that owes its concept and name to her very captivating existence.
Please contact Michelle or Dan if interested in talking with Kidd Upstairs & X.O.
The Background:
Kidd Upstairs is a Los Angeles based songwriter, producer, and hip-hop artist originally from Oakland, California, who has been developing his craft since the playground cypher. The multi-talented Kidd maintains a deeper level of creative control over his own projects, which can be heard throughout his records. His unique blend of clever wordplay over hypnotic production styles show his growing diversity, providing a genre-blending sound every ear can relate to. At 23 years old, Kidd Upstairs has released his self produced debut, Window Seat, on iTunes and has collaborated with Bay Area director Aris Jerome on two music videos.
Standing at six feet and six inches tall, San Diego hip hop artist X.O. is both a physical and lyrical force to be reckoned with. He has been making waves throughout Southern California with successful independent releases "Orange Soda" and "Get Live." X.O. is ushering in a new era of hip-hop that doesn't sacrifice intelligence for catchiness. rather he has molded his own sound that combines his witty lyrical content with a smooth, laid-back delivery style, capturing storylines from the city to the beautiful beaches of his hometown. His latest project, Mr. Porfavorian, is his strongest project yet, proving the 23 year old is ready to take the next step into superstardom.
