Hometown Sounds

It’s three in a row now for young DC rapper Nappy Nappa and music video director Zak Forrest. “Goodday”, the Black Moses produced intro track to Nappa’s debut EP New Balance on Babe City Records, is full of deft lyrics in front of its smooth production. Much like Oddisee’s newest video “NNGE”, you can expect beautiful and glossy urban landscapes framing their subjects in Forrest’s videos. The backdrop of “Goodday” should look familiar to anyone who’s hunted for free street parking in the revitalized neighborhood near the 9:30 Club.

Director Zak Forrest doubles up on songs for the second video from Babe City Records‘ first DC hip-hop artist Nappy Nappa. Both “Hellraiser” and “Nightriders” are dark and menacing tracks, far different in feel than Nappa’s happy-go-lucky debut video “Do My Dance”. “Hellraiser”, produced by Mr. Dickerson and featuring Spvck La Boost, is a prime time dance floor banger, while the Invisibae-produced “Nightriders” turns the BPMs way down as Nappa’s droning lyrics bounce around wickedly in the back of your head. The video tours through a disused industrial park and an underground dance party, showing off Nappa’s crew with generous and beautiful shots of fire. Grab Nappa’s debut EP New Balance on cassette while it lasts.

DC’s Babe City Records, the home of indie rock and shoegaze from the likes of The Sea Life, Go Cozy and Witch Coast, is a surprising promoter of young rapper Nappy Nappa. But Nappa’s outlook on life is goofy and positive, a far cry from many street-level DMV rappers, and fits well with the fun DIY party vibes of Babe City. Nappa’s debut release New Balance is out now digitally and on cassette, and last week the debut music video dropped, for the Black Moses produced “Do My Dance”. Director Zak Forrest captures Nappa twisting lyrics and drinking Buds with his bud in a field.