The Hbk Feat. 50 Cent: “Up Remix”

LoveRance extended the shelf life of his carnal sex anthem “Up!” with a new video featuring 50 Cent and directed by Oakland native, Taj Stansberry. Iamsu and Skippa are still along for the ride in a club scene thick with New Bay fervor. As though that weren’t enough star power for the new Inter-scope signee, Big Von unleashed another remix featuring Young Jeezy and T.I. too. The Bay will never spit on big name cosigns, but it’s hard not to view this as another example of mainstream hip-hop being hella late to the west coast party. I could have sworn we were slap-pin this song in late 2010! Early 2011 at the latest.

In related swagger-jacking news, many a Bay-lien cried foul at the lack of Bayness present in Drake and Weezy’s “Motto” video, so perhaps they’ll be pacified by a few turf dancers and shots of the water in the “Up!” video. I don’t think either do The Bay Area justice, but I don’t think either should. They are mainstream music videos, not community video mosaics. No one 4 minute clip will ever be able to embody our collective spirit and lifestyle. That said, if we’re unhappy with the media that seeks to portray us, we should make doper shit ourselves, straight up.

As trendsetters, we’re always out looking for the next gold mine, but we tend to let Johnny-cum-lately corporations play us to the left and rob us of our earnings. When will The Bay learn to make Levis? If this doesn’t make sense, read up on your California history. Gold miners didn’t get rich during the gold rush, the company that invented denim did. Until we learn how to build something that lasts, we’ll forever be the land of swag and fleeting fads. Swag won’t get your daughter through college, and it won’t win you respect. 2012 is a year to be majestic; don’t fall for the okey