MKULTRA gifted his fans with the release of a music video for his popular track “SUPER BANGER 5000”. In the eight months since the song was posted on SoundCloud, it has gained over 25K listens, with hundreds of likes and reposts. The heavy beat paired with the unapologetic energy and in your face lyrics made for an MKULTRA instant classic. The music video lived up to the grimey, obnoxious energy of the song, giving us what we would expect from a MKULTRA music video: The complete unexpected. FIlmed by Hazey and Medicine Man, the video takes MK’s wild style to the streets; creating a uncontrollable playing space in which, Hazey, Medicine Man, J-Trauma, and MKULTRA were forced to adapt to and use to create the high energy, zany style we see. The multimedia quick edits reminiscent of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s allude to the previously released video “INTERNET WORLD” (With Medicine Man), but gives it a new spin, laying over street shots of the crew shocking pedestrians, headbanging in front of churches, and running shirtless through the New York streets. We spoke with MKULTRA on the making of the music video for “SUPER BANGER 5000,” breaking down his eclectic style and plans for future releases.
UU: What was your plan going into filming? What was your general theme for the video?
MKULTRA: Well, it was Medicine Man, Hazey, J-Trauma, and I. We were all staying at Medicine Man’s place in NYC for the weekend. I told Medicine Man I wanted to shoot a video, originally it was gonna be for my song “Clunk”, but I decided last minute to change it to Super Banger. We were watching a shit ton of Lil B videos at the time, and I always loved how simplistic they were; how he was just filming in normal everyday places, but there was something about his energy that was so mesmerizing. I guess that’s kinda what inspired it. Just walking around the city, going crazy, and capturing these really fun moments on camera.
Why the last minute switch to super banger? What changed your mind?
Honestly, at the time it was just kind of a gut feeling. In retrospect, I feel like I wanted something where I could really go crazy too, even though I like “CLUNK”, “SUPER BANGER” was def more chaotic in comparison.
How do you think this compares to your other visual, Internet World? What have you learned from making that video that you used in making this one?
I feel like its similar how I put it together. With “Internet World”, it was layers on top of layers of video, almost to the point where it was disorienting. It gave it an almost information age type of vibe, where there’s so much shit flying at you non stop. I feel like this one had that vibe as well, kinda how a lot of underground rap from 2012-15 had this weird internet aesthetic, just with me it’s a little more in your face. Also all the shots of me in Internet World were in front of a green screen, which was pretty easy to edit because with that the background can be basically anything I wanted it to be. With this one I had to think a little bit about how I can still keep that disorienting feeling, but with just shots of me walking around a city.
What were the reactions you received out in public during filming? Did you have any problems with filming where you couldn’t control your surrounding?
I feel like in NY people see some crazy shit they just try to ignore it, but i was def getting a lot of weird looks [Laughs]. And no not really, I kinda like it that way. I’m really into a lot of performance art, like the idea of going out into a public space and every action you take is apart of the piece your creating. Part of that I feel is not knowing what’s about to happen, what people’s reactions will be, there’s an element of chance that can make it really interesting.
Do you have any more plans for visuals in the future? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about what your working on?
Yea, I have one that I’ve finished that I’m planning to release sometime in April. Also, I’m working on an album right now so for that I’m tryin to do some videos that are a bit more planned out with a budget. Thanks to all the people that support me. I’ve got a lot of crazy shit I’m sitting on, just want to make it absolutely perfect.