Innovator Co.‘s shonHayes keeps raising the bar. His last single Paint was a surprising right hook of crunchy production and original, intellectual lyricism. With the video for “Illuminate,” Hayes reveals parts of popular culture that either may influence his artistic vision, point of view, or could possibly distract him. The barrage of imagery that appears in the short video is rather staggering, ranging from Naruto, clips of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, Janet Jackson’s nipplegate moment, and some images that appear for just milliseconds. Hayes himself, illuminated by purple lighting and shown mostly from profile, raps once again in a laid back flow, stating he must have made the beat in a past life. The whole collage holds a nightmarish quality, ironic given the title of the track. This video is proof that shonHayes is one of the many talented artists in Los Angeles to keep an eye on.
In an e-mail, Hayes revealed a bit about the video:
“I get all my ideas and vibes from all types of mediums of entertainment; from movies, to video games and everything in between. That’s literally what brought about the “Illuminate” video, my love for pretty much everything I grew up on that still stimulates me today.”
