Video: Born King aka Killa Fifth, “Crystal Meth”
When City Paper spoke to local rapper Born King last summer about his unique approach to hip-hop and prolific off-the-radar output, the offbeat MC spoke about slowing down from his pace of two albums a year and focusing on mentoring younger collaborators like his brother, producer Singodsuperior. And while he’s stayed true to that plan by not releasing a new album since 2009′s Night Vission, which was billed under his alias Killa Fifth, lately his label Mad Thinkah Productions has been staying active. MTP set up a Band Camp page for new Singodsuperior music and forthcoming reissues of Born King’s back catalog, and just released a video for the Night Vission track “Crystal Meth.”
Throughout the low budget “Crystal Meth” clip, Born King maintains an air of mystery, spending most of the video behind the camera, with his back turned to it, or with his face obscured by a hoodie. A vague narrative follows the rapper around the city, with commentary flashing across the screen that reflects both his sense of humor and his ominous aesthetic–”time to get bent!!” as Born King walks into a liquor store on St. Paul Street, “the beast stay watching us” during a closeup of a Baltimore Police Department surveillance camera. Meanwhile, Singodsuperior’s woozy, head-nodding beat backs Born King’s promise to “hold a Triton on top of Mt. Sinai.” The video ends with the rapper climbing behind a dilapidated, graffiti-covered subway car, accompanied by one more caption: “back to the underground.”
