Video: A-1 – “Invisible Man” (Remix of XXYYXX’s “About You”)

Premiered by Noisey, the Bay Area Rapper Reflects On the Crack Era of the 80’s, Juxtaposing the Highs and Lows of Drug Culture

05.08.2015

Critical Praise For A-1:

“A-1′s style has a similar kind of funny, free-for-all feel as post-Mac Dre rappers like [Roach] Gigz, but has a sly rap style that is distinctly his own.” – The FADER

“Easily one of the illest emcees I’ve heard over the last few years.” – OkayPlayer

“…something that sounds so vital and absolutely hyphy that it pretty much had to come from the Bay.” – Noisey

The Video:

San Francisco’s A-1 has to be one of hip-hop’s most introspective writers. Premiered by Noisey, the David Dutton-directed video for “Invisible Man” “shows what life is like in the city for someone who grew up before the city became a playground for dudes with too much money.” Remixing XXYYXX‘s “About You,” A-1 juxtaposes the highs and lows of an individual that’s over-exposed and ultimately engulfed in drug culture. “The beat is low and steady, a perfect platform for A-1’s rhymes to creep and hit from verse to verse,” Noisey added. “A-1 manages to keep his rhymes succinct and meaningful without making his tracks corny or overwrought. The perfect track ti bump, no matter where you’re at.”

“I wanted to set the scene for the late 80’s, but as I was writing I sort of drifted off into another tangent,” A-1 explains of the single. “It went from being a song about my situation growing up, to a commentary about the crack era, and how that affected the people who were young adults in the 80’s. I tried to draw a parallel between then and now, how we easily could’ve been crack addicts had we grown up in that time. I grew up hearing a lot of folks my age making judgments on homeless folks or people with addictions, I wanted to make it clear that any one of us could have found ourselves in that situation had the circumstances been different. Once the first line gets written it sort of just takes on a mind of it’s own and in a weird way it writes itself.”

On his recently released Thurlian album, A-1 remixed some of music’s most forward-thinking producers – Mr. Carmack, Ryan Hemsworth, Sango, Stwo, BEAR//FACE, Sango – in addition to taking on original production from Mikos Da Gawd and ATG. “I’ve been listening to it since April,” praised Stereogum, “and my verdict is: You should listen to it!”

Watch “Invisible Man”: https://youtu.be/AhnCg-KzSbo

Check out the Noisey premiere: http://noisey.vice.com/en_ca/blog/a1-invisible-man-music-video-premiere

Listen to Thurlian: https://soundcloud.com/adamraps/sets/thurlian

Check out A-1’s newly launched website: http://www.a-1music.com/

Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with A-1.

A-1 Background:

Born Adam Traore, a first generation US citizen to West African and Italian parents, A-1‘s music is constructed around vivid stories of growing up in The City while searching for happiness and self awareness. After the release of After School Special, a mixtape based on 90s television shows, he gained a fan base through internet buzz while still living on his friend’s couch. Soon after, he released his follow-up The Book Of Adam which was received so well, he quit his day job the day after the listening party. With 2012’s The Thurl Tape, A-1 has been acknowledged by publications such as the FADER and Complex. Equipped with a heart filled with passion, an insatiable desire for creativity, discerning eyes and ears for quality, and a plan to spread his music to as many people as possible, A-1 is poised to be the first name in music lover’s iPods in the very near future. A-1’s Thurlian mixtape released March 5, 2015.