Video: Clairmont The Second – “44 Me”

The 19-Year-Old Rapper/Producer Premieres the Black-and-White, Self-Directed Clip via NOISEY

05.19.2017

Critical Praise for Clairmont The Second:

“What were you doing with your life when you were 17-years old? Did you write and produce an amazing rap album? Because that’s what Clairmont The Second did.” – NOISEY

“QFMAH exist as a unique compilation of sonic textures, all of which stand out from the dark, murky sound [Clairmont The Second’s] city currently favors.” – COMPLEX

“Much has been made of Clairmont the Second’s youth, but it’s his music that impresses.” – The Torontoist

“He sounds like the good side of the internet, not the overly saturated cloned out aesthetic that’s divided a generation into selfie-kids and tech-savants.” – Chart Attack

“The 13-track affair finds the young MC rhyming with a wisdom beyond his years, discussing spirituality and exploring vulnerabilities while impressively presiding over the jazzy, soulful production entirely handled by himself.” – CBC Music

The Video:

A one-man-band who raps, produces and mixes his own tracks, and directs his own music videos but can’t yet buy a drink in the United States, Toronto’s Clairmont The Second combines rich, atmospheric soundscapes with perceptive and introspective lyrics. Adopting an unorthodox, voice-altering sing-song flow, the 19-year-old artist channels his inner demons to the outside world in “44 Me,” his latest video, premiered by NOISEY. Filmed in black and white, Clairmont bops around his neighborhood, sipping a forty and dropping by his old public school in the clip, as he recounts a chilling car crash that left Clairmont with a broken leg–a crash in the same spot the following week had fatal consequences. A dark disorienting clip, directed by Clairmont himself, complete with off-kilter closeups and reverse motion effects, “44 Me” is a brooding rumination on the ephemerality of life–one day you’re here…and then you’re gone.

Born in Toronto in the late ’90s, the multitalented Clairmont faced a choice between pursuing music or accepting an invitation to play at a basketball tournament in Michigan. Before he graduated, his music started to make waves in his community and in the press, making his decision to pursue his artistic passion an easy one. Though he’s only 19 years of age, he’s released multiple acclaimed projects, including A Mixtape By Clairmont The Second, released last July, and most recently the acclaimed Quest For Milk and Honey, which CBC Music listed as the 17th best Canadian album of 2016 ahead of Jazz Cartier and Majid Jordan. In January, Clairmont dropped the Black Edition of A Quest For Milk And Honey through Black Box, which featured bonus tracks such as “The Road” and “Hard,” which propelled Clairmont to over 140,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. QFMH tracks such as “Ignorant.” “A Declaration,” and “No Favors” earned streaming traction when Spotify placed them on playlists such as Mellow Bars, Northern Bars and Hip Hop Chillout. Clairmont recently completed a 27-date tour opening for SonReal, but you can catch the 2017 Indie Awards Rap/R&B Artist of the Year Winner alongside Frank Ocean and others at Ontario’s WAYHOME Festival in July.