PREMIERE: Guami & Renelle 893 ft: Vitamin G - Boss Battle (Official Video) + 10 Questions
The 4th video from Guami & Renelle 893’s ‘Gardening Tools’, recently released through CultDeep Records, comes as some glitchy video-game inspired visuals for the Vitamin G-featured penultimate track, ‘Boss Battle’.
Directed by King Girl, this video offers video game-inspired visuals to complement Renelle and Vitamin G’s hard-hitting, video-game reference laden bars. The video’s aesthetic evokes a nostalgic feeling, calling back to a style that many 2000’s hip-hop videos took on. This style works exceptionally well in this context, especially given Guami’s production on the track, which feels like an updated nod to Madlib’s peak years.
Guami & Renelle 893 sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
For both of us it came from our Mums having mad music taste.
Renelle: Basically as a kid one day I was going through my mums CDs and found Dr Dre’s Chronic 2001, put it in my CD player and the rest was history, I fell in love with hip hop that day.
Guami: My mum was just blaring music in the house my whole childhood - I had to turn my shit up just to compete with her's. Big Disco & Soul queen.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
Renelle: In terms of music that has had a personal influence on me, Casisdead, Gil Scott-Heron, Dr Dre, Busta Rhymes, Commodo, Jehst. Off the top of my head I can say I’d definitely wanna work with artists like The Purist, The Alchemist, Confucius MC, Novelist, MIKE and Nicholas Craven.
Guami: I'd definitely second that, ALL of that. Just gotta throw some D'angelo & DOOM in there for good measure. Would love to work with some more RnB artists too like Jaydonclover or Children of Zeus.
3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?
We both got a lot more music to work on together but there's a lot in the pipeline before that.
Renelle: My next project is an EP called Cocoa Butter and it’s entirely produced by King Kashmere, plenty more in the tank after that but you’ll have to wait and see.
Guami: I got a couple more projects to get out next year soon as including a co-produced collab project with my boy that all your fav south coast MC's are on including Renelle here. Before that though just gonna ride the singles wave for a sec starting with 1 or 2 with our boy Vitamin G. 1 or 2 big names too but can't spill the beans just yet.
4. How would you describe your sound?
Our sound is pretty versatile we think, you can’t really pinpoint it. You could maybe call it nostalgic if you had to choose a word, but its still from the future.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
Renelle: Probably putting out the Black Currents project tbh, obviously I needed the help of some amazing collaborators, but I released that all independently so I’m definitely proud of that. Also signing to High Focus gotta be up there of course.
Guami: Ngl Gardening Tools is probably my favourite bit of work i've put out there, but my proudest gotta be supporting Roy Ayers at The Jazz Cafe with my girl Francesca Fulmini, a really dope RnB artist. That was a dream come true for sure.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
Just be original! We beg of you!
7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?
What other than us yeah? Conrad Mundy, Verbz, Clbrks, CMPND, Frankie Worrall, Badi, Old Children and King Kashmere, Trickk, Idyll, Dereck D.A.C. Oh and DEFINITELY Steven Bamidele.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
Renelle: Kryptonite’s self titled album, Truth Be Sold by Goya Gumbani & Oliver Palfreyman, Mysterious Trax 001 by Commodo all getting run on the playlist right now.
Guami: I've had that Novelist album on repeat since it dropped. Other than that, lately been on a lot of Mach-Hommy and been banging out Sister's Carol's Liberation for Africa album.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
Renelle: If I’m not making music I like to be eating good food, drinking, watching football and travelling.
Guami: Yeah trust man just enjoying life getting exercise, eating good and tryna’ see the world.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
Renelle: In the studio I need fluids, literally hella water, maybe a some alcohol to loosen up and I need the room to be the right temperature.
Guami: Ngl i'm easy as long as the vibe is good and we got something to smoke on, its all gravy. Maybe some juice too.
Words: Peter Barker