CANADIAN MUSIC VIDEO ROUNDUP | DECEMBER 2020

It’s that time again! SHIFTER’s Canadian Music Video Roundup for November includes videos from Vancouver to Toronto, including Tory Lanez, Dax, Pressa, Eva Shaw, anders, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Drezus, Hueso, Hoodlum, and more!

Check out the videos below in order of release date, then help us crown the top video in the country for December. Special shout out to our sponsor, realtor and Canadian hip-hop legend Greg Campbell.

Last month you voted and crowned “Worthy” by Justine Tyrell as your Video of the Month.

Video of the Month //  Justine Tyrell – “Worthy”

Who will win for December?

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Kofi
Twenty One
Release date: December 3, 2020

Toronto hip-hop artist, Kofi, was busy dropping three videos in the month of December. The first one was for “21” where we see Kofi out on the block with the crew as they smoke and play dice. The song follows the recent trend of melodic street rap featuring storytelling about life in the streets, although Kofi actually has better vocals than a lot of other artists going in this sonic direction. The video is simple, but it allows you to actually focus on what he’s saying. This is a good example of “less is more”.

Nathan Miles
Non Chalant
Release date: December 4, 2020
Directed and edited by: 3FIFTYCO

In the 3FIFTYCO directed and edited video for “Non Chalant” we see Nathan Miles at Trappers Park in Ottawa’s south end. We also see him in the backyard hanging out with his son. Miles always has his own distinct style, from his sound and the aesthetic of his videos to his look. Whatever video he drops, you know he’s going to look like a rockstar.

DJ Andre 905 feat. Young Cake and Phab
Wasn’t Me
Release date: December 7, 2020
Directed by: IllCinematics

In December, Mississauga’s DJ Andre released a big chune in “Wasn’t Me” with a video to match. The Raptors 905 DJ enlists Young Cake and Phab for the song and video, a re-interpretation of the Shaggy hit. In the IllCinematics directed video we go back and forth from shots of the trio vibing to shots of some unfolding relationship drama.

KAR33M
Sojaman
Release date: December 8, 2020
Directed by: Zainab Muse
Edited by: John Henley
Shot by: Quest

In December, KAR33M brought us some Nigerian vibes with “Sojaman”. While parts of the video were shot in Ottawa, with shots under the Dunbar Bridge and at Studio 20/20, he takes us back to his roots as he talks about the Black experience while we’re treated to some shots of life in Lagos, Nigeria. And of course, what would a Nigerian video be without a few dance steps? This is a motivational and empowering Black anthem and video from KAR33M.

anders 
Don’t Play
Release date: December 11, 2020
Directed by: Christo Anesti and Gerrard Joseph

Now back to the GTA for “Don’t Play”, the latest video from anders. With statements like, “How can I lose?”, anders is just plain showing off and we’re here for it. What also stands out is how he infuses some Asian culture into the video with a Asian mob storyline as we see anders depicted as a boss. There’s always a temptation for artists to put Black culture in their videos even if they aren’t Black. anders should be congratulated for being true to his own roots and giving us a creative and refreshing visual story we rarely see in music videos.

Tory Lanez 
Solar Drive @ Night
Release date: December 12, 2020
Directed by: Logan Fields Films

In December, Tory Lanez gave us two videos. While he gave us a banger with “Boink Boink” with a colourful video to go with it, he showed us a new side of himself on “Solar Drive @ Night”. Reaching into his soul music bag with this Motown-esque track, we see him singing about a love he lost after a deadly accident. Great all around storytelling from Tory Lanez and director Logan Fields.

PS: The animation at the end is crazy.

Lance Lorenzo 
I Need Peace
Release date: December 13, 2020
Directed by: NBRHD STUDIO, fvckroh and Lance Lorenzo

With “I Need Peace”, Lance Lorenzo reminds us of pre-COVID times when we would get ready with our boys or girls for a night out.

“The idea was very heavily inspired by the new shift in our society, where the times of going out to the clubs are over, and for most, leaving the house is only out of necessity”, Lorenzo explains.

Lorenzo also seems even more comfortable in his own skin than in previous videos. He really seems to be coming into his own skin as an artist giving off that star potential.

Makadi 
BLCK
Release date: December 14, 2020
Directed by: Makadi

Now we head to the West Coast with American-born, Vancouver-based artist Makadi’s latest release – his visual album BLCK. The Black Lives Matter inspired visual, directed by Makadi himself, is a beautiful and inspirational look at blackness with different sonic vibes.  This is probably the most artistic video on our roundup and a nice break from all the bright lights and visual effects that we’ve grown used to in recent years.

Fame Holiday 
Finessing
Release date: December 16, 2020
Directed by: Trey Timeless

Now, back to the 905 for “Finessing”, the latest release from Mississauga’s Fame Holiday, about women who finesse men.

Directed and shot by Trey Timeless, the video showcases attractive women, flashy lifestyles and how both men and women play the
game.

“The song and music video was not created to judge or call out anyone’s life decisions. It is to shed light on a real situation that is glorified and happens regularly,” Fame explains.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids x Drezus 
Where They At
Release date: December 17, 2020
Directed by: Brodie Metcalfe

Our December roundup includes Snotty Nose Rez Kids who teamed up with our former Video of the Month winner Drezus on “Where They At”. This release stands out because of how well they fuse Indigenous and hip-hop culture, including their wardrobe and content. It’s also different because we’re used to hearing Indigenous hip-hop artists use their music to raise awareness for issues facing their community. We get some of that on this track, but it’s a bit of a crossover song and video with some content that general audiences can also relate to.

Pressa feat. Jackboy 
Blackberry Zap
Release date: December 18, 2020
Directed by: Michael Vincent/Connor Films

Pressa has been on a roll lately and he doesn’t show any signs of stopping. It’s nice to see him grow up and mature from a kid from the streets of Driftwood to a man living his dream in L.A. Though he has clearly grown up, he still gives us that street content and “Blackbery Zap” is no different. In the video, we see him hanging out on the front porch in L.A., cutting to the occasional shots of money, women and a cool shoot out scene. This Michael Vincent directed video is literally a movie.

Kaptev
Miracles
Release date: December 18, 2020
DOP: Conrad Osei Bonsu

Ottawa raised and now Toronto-based artist Kaptev recently dropped some new visuals for his new single “Miracles”, written following the NBA Finals championship game which saw Lebron James and the Lakers overcame the doubters and haters to win another title.

“The concept of the video was to capture performance in different ways with each setting. The empty pool scene stands out because I reference ‘deep end, they don’t wanna see you swim’ while rapping in the deep end of a pool.” Kaptev recently told SHIFTER. “The forest scene takes place in High Park where we captured wide framed shots of myself and my girl. The idea was to keep this scene static and dramatic. And finally the red party scene where we switch back and forth from me rapping alone in the room to being surrounded by people. With this scene we wanted to bring the energy through and let loose and just have fun with it!”

Eazy Finesse
Freestyle Pt. 1 & 2
Release date: December 20, 2020
Shot by: PREMI

Fire, fire and more fire. In this freestyle video, Eazy Finesse brings the heat from beginning to end. The video is just Eazy Finesse in the booth but the shots are clean and she goes back and forth effortless between bars and vocals. Has to be one of the best verses I’ve heard in a long time. This is getting added to the workout playlist.

If you pay attention you get a quick preview of what’s coming up in Pt .2.  Then in the second part of the video we get a slower tempo and Eazy Finesse in a scary light up mask. Again, a simple concept but very well executed.

Puffy L’z
Wheel It
Release date: December 22, 2020
Shot by: Andrew Hammond

Now back to Toronto for the latest from Puffy L’z. In the video for “Wheel It” we see shots of Regent Park, and other shots of downtown Toronto, as well as Puffy L’z in the studio. The video already has over 100K views on YouTube, has good energy, and the song is banger so it gets a spot on our roundup.

Romeyo Wilson 
Black Queen
Release date: December 23, 2020
Shot by: Trey Timeless

Brampton’s Romeyo Wilson is back with another song and video for the ladies with “Black Queen”. In a time when we still refer to women as hoes and bitches in some Black music, it’s nice to see a Black man letting our Black women know how important they are.

Dax feat. Trippie Redd 
i don’t want another sorry
Release date: December 29, 2020
Shot by: Logan Meis

In December, Ottawa native, Dax, took to social media to once again tease his long-awaited surprise collaboration. In the end, the rumours were true. Dax ended 2020 with his biggest collab to date – none other than Ohio hip-hop artist Trippie Redd. Together, the pair have dropped their new single “i don’t want another sorry”, a story of pain, heartbreak and love gone wrong.

Shot by his frequent his collaborator Logan Meis, the video, mostly set in a hospital, continues the theme of pain and heartbreak as we see Dax symbolically getting his heart removed. One thing is for sure, whether it’s with his music or visuals, Dax is always going to treat fans to some good storytelling and “i don’t want another sorry” is no different.

IAMTHELIVING x Teon Gibbs
Puppa
Release date: December 29, 2020
Directed and edited by: Sterling Larose

On the heels of their summer smash “Between The Groove”, which landed them on CityTV Toronto’s Breakfast Televsion and CTV’s The Marilyn Denis show and etalk (the latter calling it “the song of the summer”), Vancouver duo IAMTHELIVING x Teon Gibbs are back with visuals for their follow-up collaborative single, “Puppa”. With crisp lighting, pops of colour, and an all out dance party, the Sterling Larose directed video is a throwback to simpler times when we were just focused on having fun.

“We really tried to create a video reminiscent of the early 2000’s; think of the old Apple advertisements or a Justin Timberlake music video”, Gibbs told SHIFTER. “Too often people try to create narrative videos, and then hip-hop is a trend to follow – the Hennessey, cars and apartment style video. We just wanted to create something fun and vibrant that felt like the club and felt like a really good time. It’s really eye-catching, and because it doesn’t look like other videos, we hope it stands out.”

Eva Shaw, DB Bantino & ILLYMINIACHI feat. Nate Husser
Addicted
Release date: December 29, 2020
Directed by: Eva Shaw
Edited by: Alison Beland

Toronto native and hip-hop producer, Eva Shaw, ended 2020 with the release of her latest single “Addicted” alongside DB Bantino and ILLYMINIACHI. The song also features Montreal’s Nate Husser, SHIFTER’s artist of the month for September and one of the hottest rappers in Canada right now. The video, directed by Shaw and edited by Alison Beland, is a highly artistic “quarantine video” – a type of “visual monologue” showing the Canadian producer in isolation in a variety of eclectic outfits, from a yellow track suit to a gas mask, and then a backwards ski mask.

“Making this track went super smoothly – it just hit immediately and I wanted to do a video that felt the same way”, Shaw told SHIFTER. “COVID has been a tough time, trying to link with people and actually filming and being safe on top of it. I tried to film something that was doable in a quarantine style. I wanted it to showcase how I’m feeling and how probably a lot of people are feeling these days. I’m already a loopy, weird person and I had a blast rolling around on the floor, drinking wine, playing piano and eating candy. I’m obviously not rapping or singing on the track, so I had to find a way to show my personality without delivering lyrics. I’m not sure there are any hip-hop producers presenting their songs visually this way, but I like doing things differently.”

Vibebymelo x Travis Thickle
Busy
Release date: December 29, 2020
Shot, edited and directed by: piercethelight

In December, the Toronto-Ottawa team of hip-hop artist Vibebymelo and producer Travis Thickle teamed up with director piercethelight to give us the video for “Busy”. In this video, we see Vibebymelo and his crew hanging out in a hotel room and out in the street. There’s the occasional special effect, but this track is a straight banger.

Hoodlum 
Wipe Ya Nose (Ryder Muzik)
Release date: December 30, 2020
Shot by: Maccadelic

In the visuals for “Wipe Ya Nose”, we see Hoodlum head to toe in Leafs gear. Shot by Maccadelic, the video is simple yet clean. What stands out is Hoodlum’s bars. With his flow, bars, energy and look, he’s a throwback to 90’s hip-hop, almost like a young Jadakiss. His first verse is one of the best verses we’ve ever heard from Hoodlum so far.

Hueso
Prime
Release date: December 30, 2020
Directed by: EK Visions and Hueso

Following the August release of his summer single “Highway”, which has over 82K streams on Spotify to date, Ottawa rapper, singer and songwriter, Hueso, ended 2020 with the release of a brand new single “Prime”. He also did double duty, co-directing the video alongside his go-to video collaborator, EK Visions. The video opens with a flashback to 2010 as we see Hueso pulling up in front of the Foster Farm Community Centre in Ottawa to pick up his then girlfriend. After splitting up due to a long distance relationship, we then find him five years later in university in a new relationship. Then, finally, we fast forward to 2021 as we meet a fully matured Hueso who has finally come into his own (perhaps foreshadowing or speaking into existence what he sees for the New Year).

Referred to as a short film as compared to a music video, “Prime” is a coming of age story that finds a way to capture an 11-year journey in  just four minutes (and does so very well). The depth of storytelling and care given to this release stands out in the midst of the continued trend of Hennessey, beautiful women and fast cars of 2020.

Inquire about sponsoring next month’s roundup at [email protected].

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