In the past couple of months, we here at Bonus Cut have steadily put in time and work to build our film series, Bonus Cut Films. With this series, our main focus is to bring interviews to life, by filming and documenting the lives of important hip-hop artists in the community making an impact and difference.
It has been a privilege and honor to share these stories and work with these artists, and we couldn’t be where we are without them. In other words, if not for these feature artists, there would be no Bonus Cut Films. A big thank you to Omari Hall, James Gardin and Jamall Bufford.
More thanks need to go out to our film crew as well. These individuals are the lifeblood of Bonus Cut Films, who continually put in the work to get everything down and cut, and if there’s one group of people to congratulate for the success of Bonus Cut Films, these guys are the ones. A big thank you to Phillip McGuigan, Julian Stall, Ian Siporin, Nicole DeMichele and JP Navarro.
Below you can view all of Bonus Cut Films’ videos to date.
Omari Hall (aka Hir-O)
Omari Hall (aka Hir-O) is a producer from Detroit, Michigan. As one of the city’s rising hip-hop artists, Hir-O has branded his music with splashes of electronic swells, jazz, soul, live instrumentation and other realms of music that all come to form a cohesive hip-hop force. His projects with DaJaz1, Doss The Artist and Red Pill, along with his instrumentals such as The Voyage Home, reflect the true prowess and versatility of his work, and with future projects coming in 2014, Hir-O is a name you should remember.
James Gardin
If you’re at all familiar with Michigan hip-hop and Michigan music in general, then the name James Gardin (fka P.H.I.L.T.H.Y.) is commonplace. As one of Lansing’s premier music icons for the last decade, James has shown how to get down, how to dance, how to properly enjoy a live show, how to fight for a cause and how to live in general. More than that though, James has fueled the hip-hop community beneficially in other ways. Working with Michigan State’s MRULE and various other youth programs to donate art workshops, not to mention spending time in South Africa teaching kids with HIV/AIDS music and uniting them through it, James has never stopped being an influential and important figure in his community.
Musically, James has opened for the likes of Talib Kweli, The Cool Kids, Grieves and The Pack. He was also recently named one of Rapzilla’s Freshman of 2014.
Jamall Bufford
Jamall Bufford (fka Buff1) is a hip-hop educator and artist from Ann Arbor, Michigan. As one of Michigan’s premier artists, he has worked in Athletic Mic League and The Black Opera. He has also worked with Black Milk, De La Soul, Elzhi, Eminem, Guilty Simpson, Invincible, One Be Lo, Slum Village and many more notable acts. Jamall’s songs touch on nostalgia, hope, freedom and spirituality.
These days Jamall spends most of his time at the Neutral Zone Teen Center in Ann Arbor. As the center’s music coordinator, Jamall is the adult advisor for the MC Program and Bside Concert Promotion Program. Teaching local teens the art of writing, MCing, performing, battling and going about life, these kids come out of Jamall’s program with a greater sense of confidence, stage presence, writing ability and many more life skills.
Stay tuned for more Bonus Cut Films features!
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