It's a bold new age of information. YouTube represents an archive of millions of hidden or long-forgotten documentations of some of the greatest performers in music, free and at the tips of our fingers. This week a newcomer from the Dirty Dirty teaches us how to pimp our ride.
A typical morning for Rich Boy consists of squeezing money clips, putting on hater blockers (shades), and reminding us that, yes indeed, he has just bought a Cadillac.
Out of sleepy Mobile, Alabama, Rich Boy (a.k.a. Maurice Richards) possesses a hypnotic, staccato rhythm that proudly states he's new money and he's living large. Accordingly, Rich Boy's "Throw some D's" video has all the elements of a new hip hop artist's rise to success, showcasing the purchases from that first big record label paycheck. The video emits a feeling reminiscent of N.W.A. crossed with Cash Money Millionaires, some of the South's most celebrated champions of all things shiny and homegrown. Rich Boy sports shades nostalgically similar to Eazy-E as he directs a crowd in call and response to get some Daytona rims for the new Cadillac.
Although centered around Rich Boy and Caddies, the video features interesting shots of the Mobile locals, including solemn toddlers and the chop shop mechanics who made the upgrade possible. You get a genuine feeling that Rich Boy knows and loves these people. This video isn't only a tribute to them, but a promise that he won't forget his roots. The video also features Rich Boy's producer, Polow da Don whose self-aggrandizing verse includes a more "Money Ain't a Thang" vibe; girls included. Regardless, Rich Boy is out to put 'Bama on the map. Let's just hope GM cuts him a marketing check.
- Alex Kwan
