Video: Dee-1 – "Never Clockin Out (Remix)" Ft. Killer Mike
12.18.2012
Dee-1 Unveils Gritty New Video Off #TheFocusTape
Critical Praise for Dee-1:
"There's no way to deny Dee's tireless work ethic and consistently superior records that he's been dropping over the last few weeks. Best to wake up and hop on the ship before it sets sail when #TheFocusTape drops on October 9th" – The Smoking Section
"Dee-1 has been puttin' in work on this music thing, droppin' some real impressive jawns as of late, and he has no plans of clockin' out." – Okayplayer
"We have some fresh hip-hop one our hands." – Potholes In My Blog
The Video:
Dee-1 has just finished touring the country with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and is already back in the studio working on a new project for 2013. He has also just finished his latest video for the song “Never Clockin Out (Remix)” featuring Killer Mike, one of the many bangers included on Dee’s mixtape #TheFocusTape, hosted by Mannie Fresh.
The original inspiration for "Never Clockin Out (Remix)", according to Dee, was that “I don't clock in and clock out of work anymore, it's 24/7." For this video, he highlights the people who are also consistently grinding, namely those from a specific part of New Orleans, the 13th Ward, Uptown, where rappers Birdman and BG both grew up. “I wanted to show who I had in mind when I wrote this song: the people who are in the hoods of America, where it’s a full-time job just to stay alive,” explains Dee. “All of BG’s hood rocks with my music, they see how I’m representing for N.O.”
Shot in the intersection of Valence and Magnolia in the 13th Ward, and directed by Ben Simmons, the grimy, gritty video shows Dee-1 posting up with a couple NOLA comrades, including VL Leo, one of BG’s best friends, and Curren$y, who grew up across the street from Dee. A shadowy Killer Mike comes through at the end for his verse, but the people who are absent also play a role with this video. “A month after we shot this, BG was sentenced to 14 years in prison,” says Dee. “That gave this song and its concept even more relevance.”
Please contact Michelle or Dory if interested in talking with Dee-1.
The
Background:
Born and raised in the heart of New Orleans, Dee-1 shared the same struggles as the legendary artists that put the 504 on the map, but he represents the city with a different viewpoint. After graduating from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree, Dee-1 began teaching middle school in Baton Rouge, but as his buzz as an artist continued to grow, he finally decided that his passion for hip hop was too much to ignore and that being "Dee-1" gave him a much larger platform to be heard than being "Mr. Augustine." After establishing a solid street buzz with his mixtapes Still We Rise and I Am Who I Am, Dee-1 founded his own entertainment company, OMAR Ent. (One Man Army Entertainment,) and released his critically acclaimed album David & Goliath, leading hometown hero Mannie Fresh and esteemed producer 9th Wonder to reach out to him personally with praise. Dee-1's next project, I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 2, continued Dee's ascent, receiving thousands of downloads worldwide, while a number of singles from the album received radio play and airplay on MTV Jams. Now, Dee-1 has released his new mixtape, #TheFocusTape, which is hosted by Mannie Fresh and features the likes of Juvenile, Mos Def, MURS, and Killer Mike. To support the tape, Dee-1 has hit the road this fall, for what will be his fourth nationwide tour, a 50-date run alongside Macklemore.
