With credits as a musician, actor, writer and director, it’s no shock that the multi-hyphenate creative known as Darnell Williams is the mastermind behind the camera and concept of his latest video, “F*ck Hollywood.” The cinematically crafted flick from the 12 Tone Music artist, who’s also directed works for notable hip-hop figures Big Sean and the late Mac Miller, is both mysterious and intriguing.

“My inspiration was life in Hollywood, specifically the nightlight,” says Darnell Williams. “There’s always an experience to be had and something to get into. It’s a playground for those with vices who don’t mind crossing over to the dark side.” Beyond the definitive LA aesthetics, the engaging five-minute ten-second video reflects the MCs inner demons – fame, drugs, sex and alcohol.

Williams puts the focus on storytelling, which is grounded in rock star reality, while the song and its funk-tinged beat serve as the perfect score. What starts off as young and reckless fun quickly turns into a gripping plot twist that alters the whole mood of the narrative. The result is an unexpected ending that begs for an extended version.

Peep the visual above and be sure to drop your thoughts in the comments section.

The post #PeepTheVisual: Darnell Williams – “F*ck Hollywood” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Darnell Williams often takes obstacles he’s faced throughout his life and uses them to paint vivid pictures of his music and deliver a ton of quality content. Williams is always equipped with hard-hitting lyrics and outrageous, impressive visuals and today is no different as he returns with a video for his single “Porno.”

Back in 2016 Darnell first introduced us to his Porno EP with his single “Blown” and he later told Billboard, “I came up with the concept for ‘Porno’ midway into making my album. I realized all these songs I was putting out had a lot of real emotions and pain in them that otherwise I wouldn’t talk about, but for peoples’ entertainment I did. Same for porn stars, they might not necessary wanna do what they do, but for your entertainment they share their pain.” Now almost two years later we get to see things come full circle with this new visual. The video meets the bar set by his previous videos and sets the tone for the rest of Darnell Williams’ 2018.

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The post #PeepTheVisual: Darnell Williams Ft. Elohim – “Porno” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Known to break plenty of rules, rising rapper Darnell Williams continues his hedonistic exploration on the single “Porno.” The raw wordsmith teamed up with Los Angeles-based artist/producer Elohim, who added some electronic magic to the crowd-pleasing track. A natural yet intriguing pairing, as Darnell and Elohim are very different artists, the experimental collab proves to be seamless, indulgent fun for its creators and listeners.

The record, a testament to the ambitious MC’s obsession with pills, partying, chaotic thoughts, religion and politics, opens with the growling line, “Life is like a porno everybody getting fucked.” A brutally transparent account of Darnell’s frantic, although street savvy instability, “Porno” reveals the rapper’s dark psychological palette, which is on the brink of self-destruction.

The song is a colorful amalgam of verses (Darnell) and vocals (Elohim) tumbling over and under a theatrical beat with a chant-worthy hook, “You’re the love of my life, and it sucks that you’re killing me.” Banishing complex stereotypes with lyrical themes about mental health issues is yet another factor that sets the sharp wit lyricist apart from his peers in a genre that frowns upon emotional vulnerability.

Perversely relatable, Darnell’s ecstatic energy coupled with Elohim’s synth erraticism makes “Porno” an epic sing-along record that is just as much pop and rock as it is hip-hop.  Give it a spin at the top of the post and feel free to drop us your thoughts in the comments section.

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Williams, who started his career as a film director, now directs his own videos including thsi visual “Coney Island.” It’s a continuously unfolding orgasmic experience in which activism, racism and police brutality collide with twerking girls, guns and street culture, this eyebrow raising video spreads widely across generations. 

On the track Darnell Williams paired the power of his artistic imagination with casual shit talking over a bass-laden beat, which illuminates the rapper’s magnetic confidence.

“It’s a reflection of the times and all the shit going on today. Also its a lot about me… Like half the time I don’t give a fuck – I just wanna be high, happy, getting pussy and paid,” Williams said. “Another side of me is enraged about everything going on and God gave me this feeling of leadership that I can’t shake – if that makes sense. But at the same time, I’m not about to be no preachy ass nigga.”

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The post #PeepTheVisual: Darnell Williams – “Coney Island” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Fresh off impressing listeners with his debut single and self-directed visual for “South Central”, Los Angeles transplant by way of Detroit, Darnell Williams, returns with his second track, “Round Here.” Coming from a place of forward thinking, striving to make impactful hip-hop, the track features Darnell delivering incorruptible bars over immersive production to create a hard-hitting anthem.

Speaking on the track, Williams explains, “It’s a song about the other side of Detroit, the side 8 Mile the movie didn’t talk about, the side journalists could never cover because they aren’t welcome.”

For an artist in his early twenties, Darnell Williams has quite the back story; creating official videos for the likes of Big Sean before hitting rock bottom and becoming briefly homeless. Now after recently performing “Round Here” in front of 14,000 fans at Austin360 for X Games, Darnell is putting his unique influences into music to great effect.

Give it a spin below and be sure to let us know if you’re diggin the track.

https://soundcloud.com/darnellwilliams/darnell-williams-round-here

The post New Music: Darnell Williams – “Round Here” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.