Danny Brown‘s recent visual release, “Y.B.P,” juxtaposes the raw streets of Detroit with a surrealistic stop-motion claymation visual. This collab with up-and-coming rapper Bruiser Wolf unfolds as a cinematic experience, seamlessly blending live-action movement with cartoonish dream-like sequences—a visual layer amplifying an already potent track.
Directed by Edem Wornoo and Claymation maestro William Child, the video introduces miniature versions of Danny Brown and Bruiser Wolf navigating their hometown. The clay figures, with faces eerily composited onto their bodies, deliver hard-hitting verses amidst Detroit‘s metropolitan backdrop. Brown‘s clay body, with his head delivering verses in real-time, adds a surreal touch, creating an uncanny atmosphere.
The narrative mirrors the struggles Brown and Bruiser faced growing up in Detroit‘s inner city, vividly captured in animated scenes. The lyrics paint a stark picture of their past, with lines like “Let me change the channel with the pliers / Wet clothes on the porch, we ain’t have a dryer,” encapsulating the harsh realities of being Y.B.P (young, black, and poor) in the city. The claymation technique, while ingenious, avoids glamorizing portrayed criminal activities. Instead, it emphasizes the grim reality of their experiences, aligning with the artists’ depiction of Detroit.
In the broader context of Danny Brown‘s *Quaranta“, the video adds another layer to the introspective and therapeutic nature of the album. As Brown mentioned in an interview, the album was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tumultuous breakup, and a move to downtown Detroit. *Y.B.P.” becomes a snapshot of this period, encapsulating the cathartic release of emotions through music. Now the track has a mesmerizing visual experience that reflects the unfiltered narrative found in the acclaimed album.
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