Big Sean, Hit-Boy - Loyal To A Fault ft. Bryson Tiller, Lil Durk

What this video is

Released October 29, 2021, 'Loyal To A Fault' arrived as the lead visual from Big Sean and Hit-Boy's six-track joint EP What You Expect on Def Jam Recordings — a project emblematic of the early-2020s producer-as-co-artist trend, in which Grammy-winning super-producers received co-billing. Hit-Boy's profile was at an apex following back-to-back Grammy wins for Nas's King's Disease (Best Rap Album, 2021) and the…

Why it matters

Represents the maturation of the hip-hop/R&B crossover format pioneered in the mid-2010s, now operating at the intersection of melodic rap, trap, and contemporary R&B. The track exemplifies the 'smooth-to-gritty' tonal range achievable within a single song via multi-genre featured artists (Bryson…

The director

City James is a Los Angeles-based music video director known for work with hip-hop and R&B artists, with credits including Saba, Nardo Wick, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Darrin James is a Los Angeles-based director and cinematographer with a BFA in acting,…