Cordae may have positioned himself as a lover, not a fighter — but that doesn’t mean the lyricist won’t dabble in the latter category if provoked. Evidently, a spooky and tense instrumental from Take A Daytrip has taken the generally peaceful Cordae’s aggression meter to ten, culminating in a raw new video from the acclaimed lyricist.
Directed by Matt Earl and shot by Franklin Ricart, the clip finds Cordae and Thugger entering an underground fight club. Unsurprisingly, the rappers command attention through detached swagger and confidence, and before long Cordae is entering the ring. Despite the fact that his opponents clearly outweigh — not to mention out-aggro — the young rapper, Cordae’s technique and shifty footwork make him a constant threat.
To his credit, Thugger doesn’t opt to participate in the bloodsport, but his stylish attire and slick video-game-character aesthetic keep him in line with the ruffians. Visually, the whole of “Wassup” is extremely well constructed, featuring some of the tightest editing (also handled by director Matt Earl) we’ve seen in a music video this year. Though it might be difficult for some to buy into Cordae’s tough-guy persona, the rapper sells it with enough conviction to make haters second-guess saying such criticism to his face.
Check out “Wassup” now, and stay tuned for Cordae’s upcoming album From A Bird’s Eye View, set to arrive at some point later this year.