Brooklyn, New York emcee The Astronomical Kid is one of several rising talents who directs his own music videos. Like Hopsin out West, Astro is an aspiring director, with a deep appreciation for the visual style at the height of the MTV video-era. HipHopDX recently asked the emcee about his personal five favorite music videos.
“These are not in order. I’ll probably say [The Notorious B.I.G.’s] ‘Hypnotize,’” he said of the early 1997 Bad Boy Records video directed by Paul Hunter and Diddy for the Life After Death album. “That was a big [budget] video. I like videos that are not the typical Rap videos, you know? That was back in the days when cats was spending millions. They’re not doin’ that no more. That’s a great video.”
Kid Astro kept things Bad Boy for his second choice, coming from the label’s first release. “I’d probably say Craig Mack’s ‘Flava In Ya Ear.’ I just like those type-of videos!” The Hype Williams-directed video was to Mack’s biggest hit, the Summer 1994 single from the longtime EPMD affiliate.
Astro bent the rules for his next mid-1990s selection. “Does it have to be an actual music video? ‘Cause there’s 30-second Rap commercial that I love. I love the Wu-Tang Clan St. Ides commercial! That vide is so tight, the way they directed that one.” Like many of the Death Row Records star artists, along with King T and Warren G, St. Ides worked with the Clan in 1995. “Shit’s ill, and it’s 30 seconds,” said Astro. “When I take off on my directing, that’s the type of stuff I want to put out. That was ill; all the [St. Ides] commercials were hard.”
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Astro circled back to Hype Williams’ work on a second ’95 special. “Another one would have to be probably Jay Z’s‘Can’t Knock The Hustle.’ I like what he did with that video.”
Tyler, The Creator’s “She,” marked Astronomical Kid’s final choice. The 2011 video single from Goblin also prominently featured fellow Odd Future member Frank Ocean. “I really like that video.”
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