Rap Music Videos

1990's-2020 (for me)
Tough Work few wanted.
Early 2000's there we more Rap Videos than Movies.
So many, some outta control, & some so Big, they shut down neighborhoods & major corridors.
The City of Atlanta had to set up an official  Atlanta Permit Office
to control the chaos. The office still exists.
The Flavor could be any of the following;

Crazy, unruly & dangerous Artist & their Posse, real criminal element (ex cons, Thugs) on set, shady/unskilled, half working producers, questionable crew payroll, scouting for locations that don't exist (Luda's Tree House), raging Director or Art Director egos, dangerous crew members ( yes, there are fights on set between crew members, I got chocked one day at work, I chose Peace & moved on), record executives stealing directly from production budget, work day in excess of 16-21 hours( no union rules here), working late into the night, naked women, rampant drug & alcohol use(including Crew, Posse, Artist & Producers), over worked Art department, unpaid crew calling me for advice on how to get their checks, productions Not paying equipment house for lights & other rentals, guns on set, producers with a Silver Metal Briefcase full of $100 bills, under estimated Locations Budget, freaked out neighbors, huge fees paid to property owners especially for a Mansion, working in strip clubs, working in dangerous Health Hazard locations ( warehouse, apartment or Trap House), trashing & not cleaning locations, few or no restrooms, bad or No food, posse would eat all crew lunch & caterer would freak out, & various walk-up nut cases of any & every kind. A Real Urban Madhouse.

A Locations person was a "1 person department", scout, photographer, neighborhood coordinator, map maker, police coordinator, on set manager & manager, ( all contracts & Insurance). With No assistant of any kind was the budget norm for Location department.
I changed that shit...I would hire my assistant & pay them out of my pocket. A gift to production, I called them. It worked & everybody in film (TV & Features) started doing the same.
 The 1st few years, the "Animals Ran the Zoo", but not for long. Helen Urriola & I brought it under control. Or they could hire someone else.
But Rap videos Saved the Black Crew in Atlanta
When no one else in Film biz would hire us. 

I have done over 100.
For Years, Black crews paid their bills & fed their families from Rap Music Video Productions
Thank God for them


OutKast in The Inforum

Right after working in the film office I started to get call to scout & manage Rap videos. 

Inforum

With my knowledge of available locations, I took Rap Videos where they had Never been before. The word got out, & I became The Go To Locations Guy in Atlanta. Last 10 years & I still get calls to scout.

P.Ditty & T.I

Had All of P.Ditty's 
Bad Boy Entertainment present for famed NYC photographer Johnathan Mannion. Huge stills photo job.
12 rappers, 16 Atlanta police, street closure permit, catering , parking, hair & makeup, Rolls Royce cars, neighbors & wanna-be's. McDaniel St. was shut down & a Star studded happening.


Dave Myers & Bill Nunn

Dave Myers, Director. The Top, Director of Music videos in USA. Extensive credits of classic, iconic videos for All major artist. 
Google him.
For several years I was his go to Location Scout/ Manager in Atlanta. We spent many, many days together scouting in vans, tech scouting, getting the right look & vibe. And he was the MAN. Quiet & kind & often so tired he relied on me to pull everything together. I was quick & he liked that.
 Where to scout,  (small scout budget) available locations, schedule, permit issues etc. He trusted me, therefore his producers had to follow my suggestion on how to get the job done. Smart move. 

Carl Johnson Sr., Carl Jr & Jay Johnson

Carl Johnson, Film Legend
He was the 1st Black crew member from Georgia I ever met. Early 80's I was on a still photo shoot & he told me to come work as a Film Crew person. I had no idea I could get a job working on movies & such. And he was right.

Custom Cars in da Hood

Almost every rap video will have custom cars. Rappers should have they own custom shop owners by now.

Street Crack

Get the camera ready, I'm in the right neighborhood, of dat Street Flavor Baby!
Making some money today. 

Home Boy crib


BINGO !!! 
Music Video gold mine!

Under a Bridge


Videos take place in obscure locations. 
Structure, colors ,
light atmosphere sets the tone & we are always looking for that special Thing.

Roy Jones Jr.

I was the production manager & took an entire video crew to Pensacola Fla to film a Roy Jones Jr. Music video for HBO Sports.
All crew & equipment everybody came from Atlanta.

We filmed at his managers Mansion, his 3 houses & his Gym. This is a photo of Roy with his son's.
He had a farm full of Pit Bulls & fighting Cocks.

Mud Wrestling

"Alley Bats", 'strippers" mud wrestling in a white neighborhood In a front yard. How we got away with this is a story you have to get directly from me.

In the 'Burbs

D-12 video

I was brought on after 2 locations scouts got fired, couldn't get the look the director /producer wanted within the limited number of scout days in da budget. (always just a few days).
I had 1 day to pull to Find the Look, & Lock the location.
I found it, locked it, we filmed, nobody got hurt or arrested,I got paid. My legend continues.

Trap House with
Hoe's 

This is the Real,Real.
White women "servicing clients" here. Found it behind a Trap House.

Upcoming Directors 

Guess Who?
He big time. Started with BET side of thangs. NYC.
Mo, you out there?


2 Chanz

At Perimeter Mall
for Adidas, i think.

Ludacris the 2nd time.

In Buckhead, the day after 9/11. It was organized madness & I won.The producer was an idiot, but I brought some sanity to the game. The crew appreciated my efforts. Thank you my crew sisters & brothers.

Luda the 4th time

Worked on his videos more than any rappers, maybe one day I will actually meet Luda. But that's cool. Long as the check don't bounce.

What i became

scouting & managing Rap music videos.

Thugged Out.

Jezzy

Great guy. Cool, easy to work with & not crazy

B.O.B.

Big Video. Big Company move to big stills & 
2 unit filming location. It worked , I got paid, check didn't bounce.