Dave East - Still Here

What this video is

Released July 21, 2023, as a promotional visual from Dave East's second studio album Fortune Favors the Bold (Def Jam, July 14, 2023), 'Still Here' arrives during a period of New York hip-hop's resurgent critical visibility. The video functions as a survival testament — East, a Harlem rapper who navigated street life, incarceration, and the pressures of major-label rap, uses the NYC location shoot to assert…

Why it matters

Represents the 2020s continuation of New York lyricism-first rap, consciously invoking boom-bap traditions in contrast to mainstream trap and drill dominance. 'Still Here' exemplifies the introspective survival anthem subgenre — a video form pioneered by artists like Nas and Jay-Z — updated for…

The director

Dom Bruno, also known by his handle @shotbytanj, is a music video director active in the hip-hop space. He is credited on IMDB for directing the Millyz feat. Meek Mill 'Soul Survivor' music video (2024) and maintains an Instagram presence of approximately…