Video: Well$ – “130”

The North Carolina Rapper Acts His Age in His New Pigeons & Planes Debuted Music Video

03.31.2016

Critical praise for Well$:

“The album finds the 19-year-old straddling the line between trunk-rattling southern bounce and the witty 16s of any Freshman spitter.” – The Fader

“A charismatic live performer…the hometown hero is ready to shine whenever the national look is imminent. – Pitchfork

“Well$ uses inspiration from his own heritage as well as popular American culture to develop a sound that is distinctly his own, drawing on southern influences as well as his own African culture.” – Complex

“Charlotte, N.C., may not be the first city to come to mind when thinking of hip hop hotbeds, but thanks to a rising echelon of talent, that’s about to change. Leading that charge is 19-year-old Leroy Shingu, who goes by the name of Well$.” – Huffington Post

The Video:
On Tuesday, Well$ released a one-take visual for “130,” via Mass Appeal, featuring the Charlotte emcee and his homies taking over a desolate forest, dancing around abandoned school buses. Today, Well$ returns to the yellow bus graveyard for a more expansive version of “130.” Debuted today by Pigeons and Planes, who call Well$ “an incredibly energetic performer,” “130” (Official Version) finds the XXL Freshman Nominee acting young and reckless with some masked associates, dancing exuberantly to theAngelo Motaand-produced beat. Well$’s “130,” directed by Summit Collective, is the latest release from his forthcoming The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous project, a follow-up to 2014’s MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher mixtape. In February, Well$ released “Heaven’s Door,” debuted by Billboard, which featured vocals from Alec Lomami and production by über-producer Metro Boomin.

An artist with his own distinct style, Well$ never fails to explore a diverse range of subject matter, from breast-beating braggadocio to moody introspection. “My music is like me, sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s playful, sometimes it’s happy, sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s meaningful and sometimes it’s meaningless,” he explains. Well$ has been making waves for quite some time, with his 2014 MTSYD: The Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher mixtape garnering critical acclaim. “His firm, clear voice is a great instrument, and he knows how to make it work inside of different-sounding productions,” Pitchfork raved. “The mixtape is rich-sounding and crisply produced… [Well$ has] got some dope lines, too.” Fans can expect his forthcoming EP, The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous, in 2016.

Watch “130”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YneUXoS3NZk

Check out the Pigeons & Planes premiere: http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2016/03/wells-130-video/

Listen to “130” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3qPykD9VSeiq3HZJSgPXjG

Well$ Background:

Like most kids in his native town of Charlotte, North Carolina, Leroy Shingu had a head filled with hip-hop dreams growing up, even trying his hand at freestyling when he was all of nine years old. But a trying background starkly different from the blissful suburban reality of his peers would compel the rapper better known as Well$ to turn that childhood fantasy into a promising career as a rapper. Quietly released in 2012, $ay La V, Well$’ debut EP rose steadily on the Bandcamp charts to peak at number 5 and eventually become the most downloaded album in the Charlotte area. This remarkable ascent as well as the video for the song “State of Ecstasy The Interlude Part 1″ hauled Well$ out of virtual anonymity, and shoved him onto high profile stage performances with artists such as G Eazy, Chris Webby, Johnny Polygon, and one of his idols, Pac Div. His most recent project, MTSYD: Revenge of the African Booty Scratcher was well-received by fans and critics alike. Well$ is gearing up for a busy 2016, starting with his The Way I’m Living Makes My Mom Nervous EP.