Rap aficionado Benny Freestyles has released his latest single and video “Follow Me Home.” The serenade eloquently illustrates the human need for companionship during dark times– whether romantic or platonic. While he was born in Providence, Rhode Island, Benny grew up a traveler, so it comes as no surprise that the video for “Follow Me Home” was filmed in Nosara, Costa Rica. The video sports radiant images of nature that are distinct from, but also closely intertwined with the music. In the opening shot, we drift through a dusky forest and hear a mix of bird calls and electronic tones from the music. The juxtaposition of the sounds is disjunct, but they also complement each other. At times the shots drift in and out of distortion, like a manifestation of the hard times that the lyrics are talking about. Some of the words draw obvious parallels to nature as well, such as “you say it’s windy,” and “just hope it all blows away.”
The electronic music may seem out of place with the nature-centered visuals, but what it does is create a sort of ambient space in which the lyrics can really thrive. Whether it’s the open ocean, eternal forest, or endless night sky, the powerful pairing of these images and the atmosphere generated by the music allows for lyrics like “please forgive me” to ricochet, amplifying their impact.
Freestyles worked with Thomas San Bento in an intense twelve hour session to produce “Follow Me Home,” which features Freestyle’s peaceful voice and the rap skills that earned Benny his name. Since his very first release (a four minute freestyle called “The Ready Freestyle“), the on-the-rise musician has aimed to inspire, putting out multiple projects and going on national tours. Along the way, he has acquired a substantial fan base that really identifies with his music. “Follow Me Home” is simply the next step in Freestyle’s movement to uplift and encourage. Don’t be afraid to let yourself get swept up in it.
Keep up with Benny Freestyles here.