Video: Benny – “Not Gone Jaws”

The Bay Area Rhymer Shares the Latest Video From His Versatile New Mixtape

12.10.2018

Critical Praise:

“What do you get when you combine Drake’s tendency to sing vulnerably and BandGang’s abundant gun bars? You might get something like Benny, the North Vallejo rapper that counts the Detroit group among his influences and is rapidly making a name for himself in the Bay Area.” – The FADER

The Video:

Equally adept at melodic flights of fancy and mean East Bay-style street talk, Vallejo, CA’s Benny is the total package. Wilding out at a warehouse party with a pet snake around his neck, Benny kicks it with his crew in “Not Gone Jaws,” his latest video. Dropping the auto-tune for a glistening, tough-talking mob track, Benny pulls no punches on the new single, confident in the ability to walk away from any case because of his gang’s steadfast loyalty: “Tell em throw out my case, I got no priors/At least that what they think.” Premiered by Dirty-Glove Bastard, who described the video as “like the 2018 Bay Area version of Michael Jackson’s legendary ‘Thriller,’ video, but without the choreography and with Glock 22s and a living, breathing python,” “Not Gone Jaws” is the latest video from Different, Benny’s new project, following the emotional clip for “You Don’t Know.”

Telling his story with a winning combination of flash, melody, and pathos, Benny shares Different, his third and most accomplished project of 2018. Radiating with personality, Different is an engaging and thoughtful listen–the anthems of materialistic excess enhanced by the detailed and heartfelt stories of his struggle to provide for his mom and siblings. Drawing influences from all over the hip-hop spectrum, citing Detroit rappers BandGang as a major influence, among others, Different is impressively eclectic, boasting hard-hitting mob slappers like “Breathe,” vulnerable and rhythmic auto-tuners like “Myself,” convincing R&B slow jams like “Out Of Time,” and flashy auto-tuners like “Talk To Me.”

Born and raised in Vallejo, CA, home to hip-hop innovators E-40 and Mac Dre, Benny endured a troubled childhood, facing evictions and unreliable utilities in his homes. After getting into too much trouble as a high school student, Benny’s mother kicked him out of his house, causing Benny to spend months living in his car. Determined to prove to his family that he could make something of himself, Benny started making music, dropping in on high school talent shows and gathering his friends to make energetic music videos, like the Biggie-sampling “All A Dream,” which quickly racked up millions of views. Now, Benny is a staple of the Northern California rap scene, collaborating with regional heavy-hitters like OMB Peezy and Prezi and earning the support of local hip-hop tastemaker The Thizzler. Earlier this month, HYPEBEAST shared the swaggering and sexy “Bang It.” With the release of Different, Benny looks to continue his upward trajectory, breaking out of his region and becoming a household name.

Watch “Not Gone Jaws”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz7td9mYABw

Buy/Stream Different: https://empire.lnk.to/BennyDifferent // https://soundcloud.com/officialbennymusic/sets/different/

Check out the Dirty-Glove Bastard premiere: http://www.dirty-glove.net/dgb-video-premiere-benny-not-gone-jaws/

Different tracklist:
1. Bang It
2. Pickle (Interlude)
3. Talk To Me
4. You Don’t Know
5. Not Gone Jaws
6. Breathe ft. Bandlife Birdy
7. Trip
8. Myself Pt. 2
9. Let Me Go
10. Out of Time