Fat Tony feat. Old Money - ＂BKNY＂ (Prod. by Tom Cruz)

What this video is

Released November 13, 2012, 'BKNY' arrived at the apex of the Tumblr-era NYC underground rap scene, when artists in the Das Racist / Fool's Gold Records orbit were building a cross-borough, internet-native hip-hop community. Fat Tony, a Houston-born Nigerian-American rapper, used the video as both a genuine love letter to Brooklyn and a savvy community-organizing tool, filming on location around the West Indian Day…

Why it matters

A landmark of early-2010s NYC underground rap video aesthetics—intimate, community-rooted, low-budget DSLR documentary style that prioritized cultural authenticity over production polish. 'BKNY' exemplifies the cameo-driven, location-specific music video form that defined the Fool's Gold / Noisey…

The director

Brooklyn-based photographer and director. Majored in film studies at Vassar College (class of 2006). Specializes in music, live event, documentary, and street photography. Named by Complex Magazine as one of 'The 50 Greatest Music Photographers Right Now'…