QUICK CLIP: League 510 "I'm On"

You know, it's not really a party until someone urinates from the roof into your glass. Or a chick streaks through the living room wearing nothing but a shaving cream bikini. Or maybe it's whip cream, what the hell do I know? Anyway, point is: The Bay Area rap crew League 510 mix it up at a raucous house party filled with booze, smoke, women and lots of juvenile antics, much of it from a first person POV. Stair surfing, anyone? --> watch "I'm On"

League 510 "I'm On" (Clear Label)
Rock Jacobs, director | Giovanni Hidalgo, producer | Rush Films, production co | Labuba Management, rep | Khamisi Norwood, DP

WATCH IT: Jay Ru "Big Boi's Anthem"

Every rapper's first video seems to be all about repping their hood, be it ATL, Harlem, San Fran or Los Angeles. Some of those locations are more difficult to shoot in than others, but none hold a candle to what director Rock Jacobs and the Rush Films crew faced when they touched down in Nigeria to shoot some video works for that country's developing entertainment industry. This clip for local star Jay Ru is essentially music video tourism, highlighting some locations that have rarely, if ever been seen in a music video. Despite the exotic locale, much of what you see is the far-reaching influence of U.S. hip-hop: The sound and the actions and the styles — and even some of the stereotypical material trappings, like fancy cars and bling — are all exactly what you'd expect from any up-and-coming rapper. --> watch "Big Boi's Anthem"

Jay Ru "Big Boi's Anthem"
Rock Jacobs, director | Gio Hidalgo, producer | Rush Films, production co | Labuda Management, rep | Brian Garbellini, DP

WATCH IT (with caution): Killer Mike "Pressure"

Nobody is safe in this confrontational video from rapper Killer Mike and director/editor Giovanni Hidalgo. Same goes for the viewer, so don't click that "watch" link unless you're ready to be shocked, agitated, offended and saddened by the flurry of utterly horrific news footage that flashes throughout this clip. Most prominently, there's police brutality, acts of terrorism and lots of explicit violence that would garner at least an R rating in a movie — and borders on being a snuff film — so, consider this very unsafe for work or anywhere else, for that matter. KM and Hidalgo also take shots at several wealthy and well-to-do members of the black community, dredge up some rather ugly clips from Hollywood's minstrel past and basically touches upon almost everything that falls under the umbrella of racial inequality. Bookended by speeches by Malcolm X, it's an angry video and song — one squarely in the lineage of Ice Cube, who contributes a verse, but doesn't appear in the video.  This video for "Pressure" does highlight so much that is wrong with society, but it seem awfully content with just barraging you with unpleasantness and leaving you in a state of impotent nausea. Welcome to 21st Century hip-hop existentialism. --> watch "Pressure" (warning: very strong news footage of violence, racism and a whole lot of other shit that will ruin your breakfast)

Killer Mike f/ Ice Cube "Pressure" (SMC)
Giovanni Hidalgo, director/editor | Rock Jacobs, producer | Rush Films, production co

SHOT: San Quinn/Big Rich - Rock Jacobs, director

artist: San Quinn f/ Big Rich & Boo Banger
song: "SF Anthem"
label: Street Cred/Ehustle Ent
director(s): Rock Jacobs
production co: Rush Films
rep: Lanette Phillips Management

SHOT: Angie Stone - Felicia D. Henderson, director

What's a striking writer to do? How about direct a music video? TV writer/producer Felicia D. Henderson (Gossip Girl, Soul Food, Family Matters) oversaw this shoot for soul singer Angie Stone.

artist: Angie Stone
song: "Sometimes"
label: Stax/Concord
director(s): Felicia D. Henderson
production co: Soulwrites/Rush Films

PHOTO: J. Valentine "She Worth The Trouble"

Director Rock Jacobs (far left) on the set of "She Worth The Trouble" with lead actress Azure De Johnson, singer J. Valentine and 1st AD Jamar Hawkins.

The video supports J. Valentine's J Records release Conversation Piece. Video was produced through Rock Jacobs' own Rush Films, with representation by Lannette Phillips Management.

BOOKED: J. Valentine - Rock Jacobs, director

artist: J. Valentine
song: "She Worth The Trouble"
label: J Records
director(s): Rock Jacobs
production co: Rush Films
rep: Lanette Phillips Management

SHOT: Haji Springer - Rock Jacobs, director

The latest Hyphy contender from Bay Area label SMC, which has been home to Mistah FAB, Pastor Troy, Keak Da Sneak and many others from that scene.

artist: Haji Springer
song: "Indian Rapper/Do My Thang"
label: SMC
director(s): Rock Jacobs
production co: Rush Films
rep: Lanette Phillips

NEW RELEASE: Black Light Burns "Lie"

While Fred Durst is off launching a career as a film director, former Limp Bizkit bandmate Wes Borland is exorcising demons as the frontman of Black Light Burns, a super group of sorts that includes Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) and Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails). The video for "Lie"  focuses on the debasement of Borland and will surely provide great fodder for any armchair psychiatrists: Two women first strip him down and cover him with black grease (I hope it's grease), escort him to a satanic rendezvous in the woods and then to a swank, yet strange party where he is placed in a throne. Also of note here is director Josh Evans — son of Hollywood legends Robert Evans and Ali MacGraw — who mixes in band performance that's chock-full of the spontaneous aggression that was the always a key talking point when it came to Limp Bizkit and Nine Inch Nails. -->  watch "Lie"

Black Light Burns "Lies" (l Am: Wolfpack)
Josh Evans, director | Giovanni Hidalgo, producer | Rush Films, production co | Fernando Arguelles, DP

NEWS: Visual Artists To Rep Rock Jacobs

Director Rock Jacobs of Rush Films is now being represented by John Randolph of Visual Artists. His credits include:

• Mistah F.A.B. "Ghost Ride It"
• The Frontline "What You Want"