Octavian knows how to make an introduction. Just a few months after catching co-signs from Drake and the Young Turks label for his debut single, "Party Here," the South East London rapper returns with a video for his new track, "100 Degrees."
Shot in a deserted soccer field and edited to hallucinatory effect, the video finds Octavian and his Essie Gang crew assembling under the guise of night, letting their car headlights serve as spotlights.
Octavian supplies searing one-liners, most notably, "Realize broke ain't being alive so f*** it, dedicate my life to the money," and South Londoner Sam Wise handles the second verse with bass and bravado. The intense visual ends on the wings of a drone and a muffled rendition of the infectious chorus. Instant replay value.
While the beat for his 2017 heat seeker "Party Here" gave off a tropical, lighthearted vibe, "100 Degrees," produced by o12, showcases Octavian's flow in a more menacing shade. The NPR Slingshot artist says he records directly from his London apartment with his go-to beat smith JR and has a hand is producing his own beats.
"I play piano, guitar, all that stuff," Octavian said during a phone conversation Wednesday. "We just got together and do it from scratch. From now on, it's really going to just be like that. Some rappers they have their producers, but me I just like to do it myself. I like to sit down throughout the whole process."
Showing off this level of versatility should be cause for new fans to go back and check Octavian's last project, 2017's Essie World and prepare for what's in store. The 22 year old plans to drop his next mixtape, titled Revenge, in March.
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