Hard-hitting hip-hop duo Buck-N-Nice are fighting the good fight on their new video for the title cut from their sophomore album EMAG — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist!
Directed and produced by Patrick Lozinski of Gatineau, Que., the grim cinematic short — inspired by the urban-hellscape narratives and aesthetics of Fight Club and Breaking Bad — portrays the struggle artists face in a music industry that leaves them feeling exploited and undervalued. “The careful placement of visual metaphors in this video represent the many thoughts and moods that artists can have towards themselves,” says Lozinski.
“The video was built around the notion that when it comes to success and money, artists are constantly beating themselves up about it.” In keeping with the theme of their album, Buck-N-Nice — Ottawa rapper Brendon (SawBuck) Graveline and Gatineau beatmaker Hassan (DJ So Nice) Hamdan — showcase their fierce independence in this video, placing integrity above all and refusing to sell themselves out as they take a stand against the evils of the music industry.
That’s business as usual for the duo, whose concerns extend beyond creating club hits, flashing cash or hopping trends. Their songs are about life experiences, community, and the influences that mould them as artists and individuals.
It’s worked to their advantage. Their 2014 debut Us Versus Them earned plenty of buzz, launching them into festivals, headlining tours, and collaborations with local and international artists. Their thought-provoking EMAG, released in June, caught the ear of legends such as DJ Premier, DJ Eclipse and DJ Riz, who have showed the love on Sirius XM. EMAG has also topped hip-hop college and community radio charts in Canada and the U.S. as reported by Earshot! and NACC. Check out the video above and stream the album below:
