Five Hip-Hop Music Videos to Watch  

In anticipation of the upcoming Moose Knuckles Heatmakers x Prism Prize Music Video Production Grant picks, we will highlight some dynamic Canadian hip-hop music videos released in the past year. These videos exhibit the talent of recording artists and filmmakers in this music genre, from sick beats to creative storytelling, monochromatic shots, and rhythmic scenes.  

Magi Merlin - Free Grillz 

Full of rapid shots and red hues, the music video for Free Grillz shows the power that Magi Merlin holds. The video shows Magi’s lifestyle as she rides a motorcycle in the night, blows off a guy while on a date and goes out dancing at a club. The end shot of the video sees Magi in perfectly placed lighting, looking as powerful as ever. 

Credits:

Shot and edited by Walid Jabri 

VFX by Emmy Levine

Lighting Samuel Wilde

Stylist Stephane Christinel

MUA Jess Cohen 

Featuring:

Motorcycle stunts Alejandra Carranza

Date Gab Aucoin

No Tourists -  Antetokounmpo 

No Tourists' video for Antetokounmpo begins with a 90s vintage look as if it was filmed on an old camera. Throughout the video, we see a mix of that 90s vintage camera quality and the high quality we tend to see in today’s music videos.  Antetokounmpo is shot in various locations, from No Tourists and their crew skateboarding in a parking lot to hanging out in the aisles of a convenience store. This video accompanies their fast-paced song, which creates the perfect background for those quick and harsh scene transitions, which are always on beat. 

Credits:

Director, Editor & Colorist… Adam Sousa

Director of Photography… Joel D’Alimonte

1st Assistant Camera… Jason D’Souza

B-Cam Operator… Kristian Moonesar 

Styling… GG The Label 

Skater… Brandon Foster 

BTS Photography… Delali Cofie, Jet Bailey & Buggz

Special Thanks to Retro Heads

Song Produced by universes

Skiifall  - Bloodclarrt Business 

Skiifall takes to the streets in the music video for Bloodclarrt Business. Performed over his catchy and rhythmic song,  Skiifall and his hometown friends are seen together in a neighbourhood during day and night through different seasons. The video has a lot of quick transitions, staying true to the rhythmic beat of the song and some sick B&W shots. 

Credits:

Directed by Guillaume Landry

Executive Produced by Les Gamins D’hier

Producer: Mérédith Gonzalez-Bayard

Director of Photography: Thomas Fontaine

Steadicam Operator: Hugo-Alexandre Coderre

Steadicam Operator: Samuel Wilde Chénier

1st Assistant Camera: Evangelos Desborough

1st Assistant Camera: Mathilde Lytwynuk

Grip: David Blouin

Stylists: Kyron Warrick and James Pascal

Set Photographer: Simon B. Rousseau

Production Assistant: Benoit Samson

Colorist: Joseph Cadieux  

Craft: Monica Rogil

Aquakultre - Africvillean Funk & Trobiz 

The video for Africvillean Funk & Trobiz is loosely based on the actual events around the building of the A. Murray MacKay Bridge in Africville, which is located on the outskirts of Halifax. In his video, Aquakultre tells a fictionalized version of the story behind Africville. Overall, this video feels like a short film with a clear storyline and dialogue being presented in the captions throughout.

Credits: 

Directed by Aquakultre

Produced by Aquakultre & Julia Hutt

Executive Produced by Forward Music

Story by Aquakultre

First AD Joe Ciarracco

Director of Photography, J. Walsh

Assistant Camera Ben Edwards & Jeff McCoullum

Edited by J. Walsh & Aquakultre

Sound Recording & Design By Connor Robins & Andrew Benoit

Thumbnail still by Ben Edwards 

Concept Consultant Cory Bowles

Styles by Ion Vintage

Planet Giza - Das U 

Filmed in Montreal, Planet Giza’s Das U features a few recognizable spots to locals, from the Dragon Flowers flower shop to Lester’s Deli. The video feels like a day in the life of Planet Giza, showing a date at a diner and hanging out outside neighourhood shops. The camera angles often zoom in and out, with the shots varying from videos to quick photos, making the viewer feel like they are paparazzi shooting Planet Giza. 

Credits:

Directed by Quiet Note & Visual Deception 

Edited by Quiet Note & Visual Deception

Colorist: Wilhends

Styling for Dinner Scene: Jon Mardani

Intro Logo, Editing Adjustments: Samuel Lord

Mixed & Mastered by Roberto Viglione