There is a concept in a lot of hiphop lyrics about having no OGs. Freddie Gibbs talks about it on “Automatic,” Playboi Carti talks about it on “Stop Breathing,” and A Boggie talks about it on “Glory Bridge,” just to name a few.
It’s a concept I relate to in music videos. For a while, it felt anyone that predated me was not on my level. I assumed all the old heads were doing it worse and weren’t worth learning from. Too safe, too boring, too industry brained, too focused on the business to make good art. That kind of thinking is common in music videos. Maybe because it’s a space that’s constantly shifting and reinventing itself. Or maybe because there aren’t that many visible OGs around to look up to. A lot of the real pioneers either burned out, went Hollywood, or even worse, went commercial.
But one of the reasons we started this podcast was to challenge that. To talk to the people that stuck around. Not just for a year or two, but for a decade or two (or three). The ones who helped shape music video culture and are still shaping it now. Which brings me to this week’s guest: Kareem Johnson.
Kareem is the Vice President of Creative Strategy at Atlantic Records. His main responsibility is to commission music videos. That means he oversees the music video process and looks after the label’s interest. Not every commissioner is created equally, but Kareem has built a reputation as someone with taste, vision, stamina, and diplomacy. He’s commissioned videos for Wiz Khalifa, Cardi B, Jack Harlow, Kodak Black, Burna Boy, Don Tolver, and dozens more.
But what makes Kareem such an essential figure, and a perfect guest for this show, is that he isn’t just another label bureaucrat. He’s stuck around, yes, but he’s also stayed sharp and speaks his mind. And reassures us multiple times throughout this interview that music videos aren’t going anywhere. And he should know, he’s been working in the industry since he was 15 years old. All the way back in the very early days of hiphop videos in New York.
Kareem goes deep on how he’s survived in music videos for over 30 years. If you’re a young or old director, a producer, a grip, someone trying to break in, or someone who’s been doing it for years, Kareem shares some advice that is both helpful and unexpected. A lot of people offer big sweeping, grind mentality statements. But Kareem gives advice, rooted in gradual career advancement, community building, and earning your spot. He gives tips on getting attention from a label, and then what to do with that attention once you have it.
Whether you’re inside the industry or just someone who came up loving videos in the MTV or YouTube era, this is a good one. A wise, thoughtful conversation with someone who’s helped shape most of what we’ve see in hiphop video and beyond since the early 90s.
Show Notes: