GLOBAL NEWS—Following the Sundance premiere of his first feature film, Jamojaya, directed by Justin Chon, the Indonesian rapper, singer, and producer Rich Brian releases a new track “Sundance Freestyle” with an accompanying music video via 88rising and Warner Records.
“Sundance Freestyle” features surreal, haunting production that underscores sentimental bars about Brian’s steady rise in the music scene and his recent Sundance debut. The cleverly written and catchy song carries a near cinematic quality as Brian spits incredulously, “I just took a flight to Utah man that’s a first time. 5 years ago, I’d be so happy to get 5 bands for a 30-minute set.”
The music video, directed by longtime partner Daniel Cloud Campos, shows Brian in full movie star persona, prepared to discuss his leading role in Jamojaya on an imaginary talk show set. An intricate one-take shot displays a diverse cast of actors, including skateboarding keytarists and disco dancers, disturbing and destabilizing the entire production.
Image courtesy Scott Hutchinson
This past weekend, Jamojaya premiered at the 2023 Sundance film festival. The Film was Directed by seasoned actor and filmmaker Justin Chon, it depicts a story of a growing gap between father and son.
Brian, stars as a young, up-and-coming rapper who wants to hire a manager and a music label from the United States to take over the reins from his father, played by Yayu Unru, who has guided his son’s career as a singer from start to fame. Most of the scenes in Jamojaya are in the Indonesian language. 88rising CEO and Co-Founder, Sean Miyashiro also contributed to the film as an executive producer.
Image courtesy Scott Hutchinson
“Sundance Freestyle” notably follows Brian’s recent, self-produced track “VIVID” featuring $NOT. The breakup anthem features the rappers’ trading verses in a hypnotic volley, dissecting relationship ups and downs.
Complex raved how on the track “Brian effortlessly switches between his low-pitched, distinctive rapping voice, and more angelic singing vocals.”
Brian also recently headlined 88rising’s fourth annual, flagship Head in the Clouds festival in Los Angeles last August to an audience of over 35,000 and the festival’s globally expanded stages in Jakarta and Manila last year.
Listen to “Sundance Freestyle” here and watch the music video below: