Rel.b dropped the It’s Not Bragging mixtape late last year, and now offers the third visual accompanyment via “The Wave” featuring QuEST. Partly shot on site at Harold’s Coffee shop in West Palm Beach, the video traces a telling narrative that reinforces the embedded conceptualization of the lyrics. Rel has given us the exclusive drop and an interview talking about the collaborations that went into making “The Waves” happen. Check it after the jump.
There is an overt tragic love story narrative going on throughout the course of the visual that follows the song’s motif. What was the creative thought process behind mapping out and articulating that theme to get the imagery you wanted?
It was a collective process, me, [my manager] Koolie, and the director Yung came up with a treatment shot the whole video edited and decided it didn’t fit the vision we had for the song. We ended up scrapping it and decided on something that fit the vision a little better.
What is it about that Miike Snow sample used by Sick that made you want to use that beat?
That sample was so full of emotion as soon as I heard it I knew exactly what this song was about. And Sick flipped it in such a way that told a story in itself, it was only right.
Did the lyrics in Snow’s original track dictate the direction of your writing and the visual component?
Nah man, although we spent almost an hour looking up the lyrics trying to figure out exactly what he was saying. I knew what I felt when I heard the track and knew where I wanted to take it.
For this one your linked with fellow Florida emcee QuEST. How did that connection come about, and what was the creative chemistry between you two like in order to accomplish this standout track?
QuEST is the homie! We actually met a few times at a few different shows that we performed at together, and made plans to get into the studio multiple times. When it finally happened it was a beautiful process. I played the beat, sat on it for a while, but when we got all the vocals together you could tell our minds were still in that session.
Who directed the video and how did you link with him?
The director is named Yung, and we actually met him through QuEST. Highly talented, visionary man and he’s even younger than me. It was a great process, the chemistry was great, his work ethic is great and we came up with some dope.
This is the third visual effort from your tape It’s Not Braggin’. Will we see any more videos accompanying tracks from that project, or can you give us some details on what you have planned next?
Well really what we’re doing is giving people my vision for some of the tracks to show what was going through my mind while writing each song. It’s hard to say whether more videos from It’s Not Braggin’ will be coming out after “The Wave.” We’re just seeing what the fans are responding to, and we’ll keep moving accordingly. As far as new projects, I’m working on a new collection that should give my fans a new vibe from me. Still fun, still dope.
