Missed this a few weeks back. Dope one from BBRC. I guess calling it a “freestyle video” is their way of justifying why there’s so much Kendrick in it lol. Just take in the full timeline below. Love the way these dudes are breaking down the behind the scenes stories of their remixes.

BBRC x RUFFNOTES (BOOK & BRONZE REMIX)
“BACKSEAT FREESTYLE, FREESTYLE” VIDEO
A freestyle is a performance characterized by free, unrestricted movement in how the
performers employ their repertoire of techniques, styles, and content. Unlike a typical
song, the freestyle is a decidedly nonprofessional
display of creativity, intended for the
artists’ peers.

2010: A behindthescenes producer by the name of HitBoy, makes a beat for singer
Ciara. She never records on it.

2011: Hit Boy sends the beat to Kendrick Lamar who, while on the road and working on his major label debut, loops the intro and writes a short piece over it. The song describes views of Compton as seen from the back seat of a minivan. He calls it “Backseat Freestyle”.

2012: “Backseat Freestyle” drops on Kendrick’s TDE affiliated Aftermath/Interscope debut LP, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” . Later that year, acclaimed British animator & director, RUFFMERCY, is contacted by TDE and asked to contribute to Lamar’s forthcoming “Backseat Freestyle” visual, as an animator. He graciously accepts, and latterly submits finished animations.

2013: TDE decides to move in a different direction as the official visuals for Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle” are released top of the year, short of RUFFMERCY’s contributions.

2014: Strictly as an exploration, RUFFMERCY executes on his original vision for Lamar’s “ Backseat Freestyle ” video, a wild layer of handdrawn illustrations animated over the original Kendrick footage. He sends a very short reference snippet to Notes to Self BBRC as an example of a style he’s developing. For art’s sake alone, they produce their own freestyle and remix of Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle” , working with Book & Bronze under a collective pseudonym with RUFFMERCY calling themselves RUFFNOTES, syncing it to the video with additional footage. Seen by both parties as a purely exploratory creative exercise together, there are no plans or intent to release the collaboration.

2016: Until now.

Song: “Backseat Freestyle, Freestyle” (Book & Bronze Remix)
Artist: BBRC x RUFFNOTES
Directed by RUFFNOTES (RUFFMERCY x Bronze)
Animations by RUFFMERCY
Shot, Cut and additional VFX by Motioneer OnSet
Spiritual Advising by Greenwood Yard

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