The
Video:
"Lend me your ear for a minute – I got some shit on my chest." So begins "Blame Game," the latest video from DaVinci, who emerged in 2010 as one of hip-hop's most gifted young lyricists, matching street grit and tough talk with genuine hope and optimism – and doing so all while avoiding the soapbox. This latest song, while not planned for inclusion on DaVinci's upcoming EP, Feast Or Famine, or sophomore LP, The MOEna Lisa, feels more fitting as a lost track from The Day The Turf Stood Still. "It was like an overflow of lines that I didn't get to say on the last album," explains the Fillmore, San Francisco rapper. "It's something that's been especially on my mind because of Black History Month."
The track, produced by Al Jieh of Drums & Ammo, flips the same Aphex Twin sample that Kanye employed on his recent album, while filtering the sample, making it feel as though the music is floating over the heavy drums – perfect when juxtaposed against DaVinci's gruff flow and weighty subject matter. "Society blames the government for their problems – poverty, homelessness, gentrification, unemployment, drug abuse – yet, the government blames society for these same issues," explains DaVinci when discussing the song's inspiration. "Stole from the hood and gave it back to the rich/ On some backwards Robin Hood shit – robbin' hood shit," raps DaVinci, with the vivid imagery and wordplay, adding, "Seen dope fiend Archie leaning over on the park bench/ Nodding off of H, got my muthafuckin' heart drenched/ I'm just happy I made it/ Even though the kid still feel emotionally sedated... Pray to God that he could take us from degraded to the greatest."
Al Jieh makes his directorial debut with "Blame Game," shooting the video entirely on a Digital Harinezumi, the Japanese toy camera that has developed a cult-like following as of recent. Tim Jieh, who also provided co-direction on DaVinci's "What You Finna Do" video, handled editing for the video.
DaVinci's Feast Or Famine EP will be released this spring, while DaVinci's sophomore LP, The MOEna Lisa, will be released over the summer.
Watch DaVinci's "Blame Game" video here:
http://vimeo.com/20461421or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRnBRx97yDE
Download the mp3 for "Blame Game" here:
http://media.audibletreats.com/DaVinci-Blame_Game_Prod_Al_Jieh.mp3
For more information on DaVinci please contact Michelle or Dan at Audible Treats.
The
Background:
The Fillmore District has bred more rappers per capita than any other district in San Francisco, and although the older generations recall its rich musical history rooted in Jazz, the Fillmore today is rife with drugs, turf wars, and
mass gentrification. DaVinci, a young MC raised in the Fillmore, is a prime example of the duality of this area, who at the age of 13 was homeless, hungry, and hopeful for a way out. Explains DaVinci, "My music has everything to do with my environment: from
robbing, killing, pimpin' to selling and abusing drugs," he explains about his heavy content. "It's a direct reflection of what my friends and family have been through and are still going through." While his story is similar to many other young rappers’ upbringings, DaVinci was surrounded by an incredible pool of Fillmore talent and by studying with the greats, he was able to sharpen his skills and aim higher than most, cultivating his story-telling abilities beyond mere drug-and-gun-talk. Growing up in the same 10-block radius as Bay Area rap legends San Quinn and JT the Bigga Figga, DaVinci was content in merely watching the next generation follow in
their footsteps, until he received overwhelming praise from his peers from a mixtape appearance, which then prompted him to pursue rap professionally. In 2006, San Quinn welcomed him onto the "Pressure Makes Diamonds Tour" with rap veterans Xzibit and Tech N9ne. Since the tour, DaVinci has kept busy appearing on numerous mixtapes and compilations, as well as preparing his official debut album, The Day The Turf Stood Still. The Day The Turf Stood Still is available now via SWTBRDS Creative Collective. |
