Top 50 Music Videos in 2017

Roqy TyRaid - Crown Me

Not only is this video cool as fuck, but lyrically it’s RoQy throwing down the gauntlet and letting rappers know he’s the king. It stars RoQy in the role as Cyrus from the Warriors, Hakim from Game of Death, and a few other characters illustrating his prowess visually and lyrically. Directed by Jacob Raiford and shot by Derrick Reed.

Eddie Wellz - Nature

A great video makes the song better. Nothing better illustrates this point than the Nature video. In a dreamlike pace, Eddie Wellz is romping around the old horse track on the westside spitting straight bars. The edits are super clean and the tone perfectly matches the track proving that a great setting and the right shots and editing makes for a great video. Directed by Garin Chadwick.

Cash Lansky - Juice

Dope visual story telling - check. One of the hottest songs in AZ dropped this year - check. Dope scene where people are going hard on a train - check. Heat check with the wild crowd shot - of course! You literally could not fuck with Cash Lansky this year. Literally. Cannot. Directed by Bryan McAdams.

I-Dee - Like to Ride

Like to Ride is a story about the Soundwave Surfer, who was hired by the Elder, an Afrikaa Bambaata looking dude, to bring dope music to the people. The comic book drawings in the video perfectly match the chill-vibe aesthetic of the track. The video features the art work of Kevin Palmer.

Jalopy Bungus - Rushmore

Before Jalopy comes out the house, anticipation builds through movements of the camera and the slow strumming of the guitar-like sample. It’s the perfect intro for a rapper whose steps onto the scene have been slow yet calculated. The video perfect sets up how Jalopy has slowly gained momentum through hard work and self-confidence. The cameos are literally a who’s who of some of the best up and coming rappers. It’s a timeless video, which has captured a moment in Arizona rap’s history. Directed by Garin Chadwick.

Perr!s - Vibrant

Old Main at the University of Arizona is the setting for this fun, colorful, choreographed video from Perr!s. Filmed in one take, the video literally goes from the steps of Old Main to the grassy area right in front like a celebratory summer musical where Perr!s is joined by lively college students enjoying the beautiful Arizona sun. Directed by Yung Mac.

Salty Brasi - Jems

Jems shows Salty Brasi and the boys on the Vegas strip parlaying and playing with beautiful women and a shock troupe putting staples in asses. That last part sounds weird but it’s totally what’s going on. The video shows a lot of in-between and traveling to the fun like Salty and crew walking through hallways and on sidewalks to fun destinations unknown. The cool thing is it gives off the type of vibes that this part of the night is just as dope or better than the actual party they’re headed to. You can almost sense the jokes being cracked as they journey. Directed by Dylan Toon.

Marley B - Grow

Did Marley B drop a video on 4/20 called Grow? Of course, he did. He’s not named after Bob Marley for nothing, son! The track however is not about the leafy green substance - its about a substance called love and and how it’s sometimes deadly. It’s really kind of a sad but true, heart wrenching track and video. The kind where boy loves girl but understands all too well his impact on her. Shot by Blar Media Group.

Malik Scott - Clean Slate

Someone recently told me there are people who can see color in sound. If so, aesthetically, I love Clean Slate. Edited so the only two colors in the video are pink and black. It’s exactly the colors I imagine this track would look like. It’s an optimistic heart break. Pink and black.

Mega Ran ft Kadesh Flow - Church

Mega Ran in 8-bit! I don’t know if this has happened before and if not, what the fuck was the hold up!? I can’t name the games but it surely is an ode to some classics. Plus Mega is dropping some braggadocious, unfuckwittable bars and he’s mostly not lying. Directed by bluchu with assistance by John Parker.

Tullis - Heartbroke

This has to be the most beautifully shot video on this list. I mean it was shot in Italy and Washington, D.C. The Venice canals and rooftops of Orvieto take center stage as Tullis and a girl explore and enjoy each others company. Of course, all that seems well doesn’t end well as the song’s title suggest. But hey at least he got to visit those beautiful places and he wasn’t alone, right?!? Shot and directed by Everette Ganir.

Rubix ft Elias - Damnlove

This video is off the chain! It’s the best kind of cheesiness. The enjoyable kind where someone adlibbing “it’s dope as fuck” and “your love is the opposite of a piece of shit” with 3-D letters flashing across the screen is really awesome. Plus what makes this video doubly cool is everyone is in on the cheesiness. Elias oversells his dance moves and hair waving, the drummer is going ape shit, and Rubix is smashing the hell out of those keys and driving home every ad-lib. Music should be fun, right?!

THEEDESTINATION - Black Petals

That beautiful, gloomy Arizona sky with a dude in a yoda mask riding a skateboard down a palm tree lined street. That shit is Arizona as fuck. The long shot on THEEDESTINATION with the black smoke in the background is perfectly emotive and reflects the tracks heart wrenching tone so well. Directed by WeAreAllGiants.

Tommy Will - Local Rapper

This is one of the videos that I want everyone to see. It perfectly captures the song, which perfectly captures a moment many have had. The rapper, alone in his bedroom studio, working hard on a track but frustrated cause he has to go to work. Bills are due. The rapper feels alone. He wanders empty streets and raps in empty concert halls. Being the local rapper with big dreams, but seemingly all alone, can be a tough spot. Directed by Bryan McAdams and Tommy Will.

BLK LLAMA - Hotdotnuss

I googled hotdotnuss, curious to see if the word had invaded pop culture yet. It hasn’t. It needs to as hotdotnuss is synonymous with your best night ever. It’s synonymous with the coolest thing you ever did. It’s synonymous with BLK LLAMA sitting on a roof with an umbrella hat and his crew behind him looking cool as shit. Actually most people will probably never have the hotdotnuss. But, at least you can watch this video. Directed by Dylan Toon.

Odd Squad - New Ish

There are moments in film, video, etc that looks so dope, it’s memorable. The New Ish video when Odd Squad is chilling on the wall nodding their head in unison to the beat is one of those moments. The visuals perfectly match the engaging, infectious sample and truly gives this track more life. Directed by JDFilms.

TruVonne - Alright

At the 2:20 second mark, the girl playing TRUVONNE’S girl is mad. TRUVONNE tickles her chin and this genuine, super cute smile flashes across her face and they laugh together for a couple seconds. That’s me everytime I hear this song. Except I’m not mad, it’s a feeling of longing and wanted to be understood. And then TRUVONNE stretches that note in the chorus when she songs “to a better place” and I always smile. Not as cute as the girl though. Directed by Vibrant violet media.

Venture - Sweet to Me

As I thought about this video, I thought I should hurry up and link this cause Venture is notorious for putting dope stuff up and taking it down. Then I hit the search button. It wasn’t there. It’s gone. :(

Brownboi Maj + Angelo Nano - Fame

I think Brownboi had one of the best, yet under the radar, years. This is but one video that’s doing well from the singer/slush star (if you don’t know what I mean by slush, are you really paying attention?!?). The use of colors makes this video so cool, which is a common trait in a Cameralord video. He’s able to capture cool which is a unique skill not many possess. Directed by Cameralord.

The Kaleidoscope Kid - Hold Up

The Kaleidoscope Kid isn’t as trippy and crazy as this video suggests. But he’s unique. And that’s exactly what this video portrays. He sometimes doesn’t rhyme on the beat and he’s talking about getting shrooms from a voodoo lady like he’s channeling the spirit of Jerry Garcia. Plus isn’t the Arizona desert looking beautiful as fuck!?? Filmed by William Adams.

Lando Chill - Break Them Shackles

Lando is a visually striking human being. This video has a deep message and tells an interesting story. But I like the youtube comments on this video. Here is what Anjelic wrote “He preformed at my work today and honestly, he was the coolest person I've ever met. I work at the boys n girls club and he went and made the kids beam with joy and gave them some powerful words about them being in control of their fate. I've recommend him to six people already haha.” S/O Anjelic, he’s a real one. Directed by Malcolm Critcher.

The best of the rest:

Mr. Miranda - Big to Somebody

Teammate Markus - The Garden

PidgeonRoyal - On The Hunt

Futuristic ft NF - Epiphany

UPRHND Leel x KPtheWaveGod - Gaining Weight

Seven Trill - Rear View

Injury Reserve - Boom (x3)

Odd Squad - New Ish

Cruise & Loh - Lifestyle

BLK LLAMA / WaveGod - Wasabi

Lando Chill - Early in the Morning