The guys and girls behind the cameras don’t get enough love. The work they do to showcase our favorite artists often makes or breaks the talents we know and love. Imagine if your favorite slap had no video accompaniment. In this increasingly visual-based industry, there’s a chance you would never have found them. So with that we introduce Respect The Shooter Vol. 2, our list of 5 video directors you should definitely keep an eye on, even if it’s just to find your new favorite rappers!
Jay Omar
Jay Omar has been dropping videos like crazy in 2019. Work ethic absolutely cannot be understated for this stellar director. Through the use of dynamic visual effects, Jay Omar is able to really capture the vibe of the records with cinematic camera movements and vibrant color grading. One of his stand out visual textures he uses for some of this music videos is a distinct 90’s vibe taking us back in time to those days of grainy resolutions and square frames.
He has worked with an extensive list of bay area artists including E-40, Nef The Pharaoh, Yhung T.O., D-Lo, and many more. It truly might be easier to list who Jay Omar hasn’t worked with.
He has helped many Bay Area artists provide quality visuals for their fans and deserves to have his name up there with the top shooters in Northern California.
– AshkonJ
Baws World
Baws World is definitely one of the names to look out for that has been on the frontier of visual effects (VFX) with his futuristic style of music videos. Working recently with younger artists like Suigeneris, 24kGoldn, Sad Frosty, and Lucidstaywoke, Baws World has been able to take the audience into new worlds and capture our imagination of what the next era of music videos will look like.
One of his unique specialties has been the use of VFX for advanced weaponry from Halo-esque guns in Sad Frosty’s “SWERVE” to lightsabers in Lucidstaywoke’s “Plug”. While he has been successful in creating futuristic warfare, one of Baws World’s great examples of his versatility is his modern, horror film approach when he worked with San Jose’s Suigeneris for his video “SLIME” which has already stacked 540,000 views.
His collaborative nature has also led him to work with Director Nicholas Jandora to produce the cutting edge visual effects seen in San Francisco rapper 24kGoldn’s “Games On Your Phone” which has garnered 575,000 views in less than a month. As Baws World continues to build his catalog, we won’t be surprised to see more stunning visual effects grace our screens.
– AshkonJ
Shooter7Seven
Reppin Oakland, Shooter7Seven has been dropping videos like crazy since picking up a camera back in February 2018. Working on hits like Zay Bang’s “No Relation,” Baby J’s “Breaking News,” and Capalow’s “Oh Shit”, his videos have reached well over 100k in views with ease! Some could say the talented director has been making a name for himself in the Bay in a short time, but most don’t know he’s been in the game for a while.
Starting off as artist Feezo, he later got into producing with the alias FeezyDisaBangah. Collaborating with the Bay’s top artists like ALLBLACK and D-Lo really helped open doors as he picked up a passion for directing which for himself goes hand in hand with production. Capolow’s single “Same Night,” is both directed and produced by this multi talented artist as are other projects he’s dropped!
Shooter7Seven has mentioned that part of his inspiration comes from just being alive and his environment. His videos capture this unique point of view, as he tends to not only focus on the artist but also what’s around the artist’s environment. He makes the videos come alive when he uses slow motion for emphasis or, in Zay Bang’s “Sleep Talkin” video, tilts the camera as the artist mimes shooting. The attention to detail he shows helps showcase his own talents as he continues to create dope videos!
– RubyAnnCook
ShootSomething
Shootsomething has been on the rise creating visuals with some of the Bay’s top artists. Besides being involved with multiple projects with Bris, he’s also directed videos for DB.Boutabag, Gman, and Dsteez. His videos have surpassed the 200k mark even reaching 1M for the track “North Sac Baby” by Chito Rana$!
This talented director uses a simpler shooting style, shying away from over the top effects. He also never keeps the camera still as he is constantly moving from side to side or just trying different angles. This unique style gives the viewer almost a first-person point of view and makes the viewer feel as if they are there as the video. When it comes to effects, he tends to use slow motion, which helps dramatize of emphasizes certain moments as if the group is dancing which enhances the hypeness of the song.
– RubyAnnCook
Mike Winters
Mike Winters is repping Sacramento’s homegrown visual talent hard. His style embellishes the aura and drama of his filmed subjects. With videos often set in everyday neighborhoods and houses, his work plays on familiar territory for artists and viewers alike. “Panhandling” by Bris, has racked up over 570,000 views on YouTube in 2 months alone. Sticking to primarily underground artists such as SouthSideSu, Kam Treyz, K.Y., WRG Boi Boi, and Mac J, he’s built an impressive portfolio for 2019. Watch for more to come.
– SAM
