There’s no other city in the world quite like Las Vegas, and in the new music video for his single “I’m Paintin,” SugaKane successfully attempts to capture the vibe of the city’s exploding cultural scene alongside personal statements that speak volumes about his artistry. “I’m Paintin” doesn’t invite us under the neon simply to produce predictable metaphors about the gambles we take in life or even the danger that comes with embracing excess; it shares colorful contrast on top of lifeless cosmetic bombast, making its verses as powerful to consume as any of its beats would be.

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The music video presents us with an interesting juxtaposition of themes, starting with creativity and lust. From there, we work our way into an urban landscape with SugaKane and Too Tone at the helm of the ship, their conceptualism equaled only by their passion. The constant pairing of aesthetics and seemingly conflicting imagery was essential to representing the duality of the composing style here, and when you think about it this is probably one of the least self-serving ways the attribute could be showcased to the audience. There’s a lot of showboating in modern hip-hop, but that’s just not a problem for these two players.

This beat is remarkably sleek and a little subtle for what “I’m Paintin” calls for on paper, but once again I can’t help but think this deliberate contrast was something SugaKane wanted to include from the jump. He’s going against the grain in this performance even when it would seem easier and more commercially viable to do something streamlined, and while this might not be enough to break the mainstream model, it’s definitely the sort of attitude that I want to see more of on the independent circuit. Forget scoring big on the charts – this is provocative in a far more inspiring way.

SugaKane’s versatile approach to the chorus feels like a direct throwback to the gangsta rap of a bygone era, and to me it’s one of the more evocative moments of the whole song. There’s nothing wrong with tipping your cap to an iconic stylization – particularly when it comes separately from an homage to one specific artist or scene over another – and if you’re going to do it in 2020, minimalism definitely needs to play a role in the project. “I’m Paintin” proves that in several ways, the most obvious coming in the form of its hard-hitting hook.

Everyone is talking about Atlanta as usual, but indie acts like SugaKane are blowing up the west right now and definitely earning their credibility on the international stage in the process. “I’m Paintin” is a really good look for this artist and his collaborator in Too Tone, and whether you’re a hardcore hip-hop fan or just get into a hot jam when the right one comes on the radio, I think this track and its music video have a good shot of winning your approval this winter. The future is wide open for this genre at the moment, but it’s undebatable that it will ultimately be shaped by those on the underground side more than anyone else.

John McCall