Shame Gang connects with Dreamville MC Lute for “I Survive” from Shame Gang’s new album Better Late Than Never. The video treatment features a split screen effect, focusing on Shame and Lute at different times of the day–with the recent losses of loved ones (Shame’s older brother and mentor Manny and Lute’s father) anchoring and inspiring the song’s message.
However, despite the pain and trauma, the song delivers a message of resilience and overcoming setbacks.
In a press release, Shame stated, “I think with this video, I wanted to be as transparent as possible with the loss of my brother. Me and Lute actually came together for the initial plot of the video because we both dealt with the loss of a loved one recently and wanted to honor them in a way, plus show that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We can survive anything through our trials and tribulations.”
Dan Mercer of Seven Foot Giant added, “With the ‘I Survive’ video, we wanted to create something visually beautiful to match the tone of the song. We decided to showcase some of our favorite spots in Raleigh, NC, but film each artist at a different time of day to give contrast for the split screen effect. We also were clearly influenced by Spike Lee, utilizing his signature dolly shot.”
The album, Better Late Than Never, is out now and features appearances from Skyzoo, Smoke DZA, Dreamville’s Lute, Little Brother’s Rapper Big Pooh, Oswin Benjamin, and more.
