Jae Tips Pays Tribute To His City In New Visual [WATCH]

Image Credit: Jae Tips

Rising star Jae Tips has been making a lot of noise as of late, thanks to his unique and straightforward approach to both Hip-Hop and urban fashion — he’s also managed to blend those worlds together via his highly-coveted HypeBeast mixtape series.

For his latest, the New York emcee delivers a visual for “My City,” which sees Tips professing his love for The Big Apple, for better or worse:

You ain’t gotta worry bout it if I got it
I’ma hold you down forever ain’t so hiding
They gon’ catch us out in public but we private
All these n***as wanna leave you but they wildin’
I see you only mess with ballers money pilin’
On that island we done came up from that public housing
It’s something special bout the way that we rock
I love you when you struggle, they just love when you pop…

What’s really dope about “My City” (aside from it’s clever use of El DeBarge‘s “I Like It“) is how he speaks to and about New York like it’s a breathing lifeform — much in the same way as Black Star’s “Respiration.” It’s a level of personification that gives the listener a much more personal perspective of America’s greatest metropolis.

Even better: the aforementioned video — directed by Stoops — adds to the symbolism by honoring the short-lived (but classic) HBO series How To Make It In America, which followed two young entrepreneurs and they worked to launch their own fashion line in New York City against all odds — something that Jae Tips (and many of us) can certainly relate to.

Enjoy “My City” (produced by lucciwashere and Yonaton Watts) below. The song can be found on Jae’s HypeBeast 3, out now via iTunes and Soundcloud.

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Posted By

Jon Powell

Currently working as Senior Editor of RESPECT. Magazine, I (Jon Powell) have 10 years experience in digital and print media -- this includes writing, photography and video editing production. I have worked extensively in Washington, D.C. and London, England and specialise in urban music and culture.