Longtime friend and collaborator MIRAGE THE GR8 recently took a trip to Atlanta, and with it having been close to a decade (if not a bit longer) since I’ve been there, I was definitely locked in to his shares and living vicariously through his vacation time. It came as no surprise to me that MIRAGE returned home and quickly dropped Regal, a single and music video featuring moments from his visit, as MIRAGE is always working (even when he’s relaxing). The video captures MIRAGE representing Austin to the fullest via his 78723 Worldwide and Oficionado clothing lines, all the while rapping about possessing an elevated mindstate over a track by The Infamous O’Dawg of the Flying Iron Soul Collective. It’s always a pleasure to see the homie MIRAGE put in work and produce content, so being able to share this particular piece of art is a joy. Be sure to like and share the video, leave a comment if you’re feeling it, and always support your local creatives!
Mirage the Gr8 and myself have had a several year working relationship, and an even longer friendship. The music video commissions he sends my way have made me a better editor and creator, in my opinion. As the previous decade was coming to a close and 2020 was on the horizon, I envisioned myself making a documentary project of some kind, so when Mirage proposed his idea for The Rhythm Still Plays, a documentary celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his Good Vibe Records release Life Is A Rhythm (L.I.A.R.), I was all in. I knew that it would be an important reflection of a big moment in the careers of he and Tee Double, but I had no idea that it would turn out to be a solid reflection of the era in Austin hip-hop that was the most inspirational for me as a young man. Sit back, enjoy, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around for everyone to see!
After several years of collaborating on music video projects, Mirage the Gr8 and myself decided that 2020 was the year we would step our game up. The year also coincided with the 20-year anniversary of Mirage‘s first label release, Life Is A Rhythm (L.I.A.R.) on Good Vibe Records. Based on the importance of this anniversary and the release of that record at the time, it was decided that a documentary should be created to commemorate the release. With interviews from NickNack, DJ Mike Swing, Brotha K., DJ Crash and key figure Tee-Double, plus the candid story of the album from Mirage himself, this is definitely a project of great importance in regards to Austin hip-hop history. Check out the trailer, and stay tuned for the release of the full documentary in early July!
As the creative partnership between Mirage the Gr8 and myself continues, I’ve been lucky enough to stay busy with video edits on his music videos and other upcoming projects. The latest video, a collaboration between himself and Rex Gito titled Outta Mind, came out very nice in my opinion. Mirage and company gathered great shots in the Dallas area, including a series of stellar rooftop performance shots, which allowed me some artistic freedom and leaway in the edit suite. This one is a strong final product, period point blank, so check it out, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around!
My continued working relationship with Mirage the Gr8 has really and truly been beneficial for both parties. Mirage gets to see his ideas come to fruition, and I get to sharpen my tools as an editor. One of the pieces of work I’m most proud of is Level Up, a collaboration between Mirage, Terrence ‘Side Effect‘ Wood and Chip Lurk. Originally, this video was meant to be exclusive content for an upcoming project we are working on, but in spite of everyone practicing social distancing and staying home, Mirage figured that now was the time to drop the video. All parties involved are proud of this work, so definitely check it out, leave a like and a comment, and spread it around for others to do the same.
Mirage the GR8 has always been one of the MCs in the Austin area that I looked up to, as he was already releasing tapes when I was wondering if it was possible to cross over from fan to artist. It’s only fitting that at age 45, Mirage would take a moment to think back on where he came from, assess where he is, and re-calibrate himself for the journey ahead, and all of this is accomplished in the brief but thought-provoking 4-5 Still Alive. The incredibly smooth track from Trill Gates gives Mirage plenty of room to talk about style evolution and political landscapes, both of which have a synergistic relationship with hip-hop culture, in his trademark laid-back delivery. It’s been an honor working with Mirage the last couple of years on the music video front, and it makes me happy to know that he has no plans on stopping any time soon. Check out the song, leave a like and a comment, and share it around for others to do the same.
Working over the past year and change with Mirage The GR8 has been both rewarding and educational. After collaborating with him on editing duties for The Amelioration Collection, we decided to collaborate again on a series of videos with different inspiration sources and criteria from project to project. For THE GR8, the concept was a simple one, but one that we’d seen work before : sync up a cartoon series to Mirage‘s raps, a la Ghostface Killah‘s underground classic video for Daytona 500. In all honesty, I couldn’t be happier with the finished product as an editor, and it seems that Mirage was equally satisfied with the finish product. Check it out, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around for others to do the same!
One thing I really respect about Mirage the Gr8 is the scope of his vision, which also allows him to provide context. Be it his role as a teacher, the creation of his QUITE TRILL WORLDWIDE network (web, podcast and visual entertainment), or his compelling live streams, Mirage has always been one to make sure that the bigger picture is addressed. For summer of 2019, Mirage decided to do a three-fold mission for the first edition of the QUITE TRILL RADIO summer series : a selection of hip-hop and soul that influences him, interjections of information to get everyone on the same page moving forward, and a tribute to the late-great Nipsey Hussle. Check it out, spread it around, and stay tuned for future episodes as they premier!
Mirage the GR8 has been focused on dropping groups of videos for his musical releases over the last couple of years, and with each coordinated effort, the quality of the work seems to grow. With Rollin, Mirage reached out to some of his Dallas people to help capture images, and he reached out to yours truly for the edit. The result, in my opinion, is quite impressive, and the type of quality that all involved can stand behind and be proud of. Check it out for yourself, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it with others so every can be blessed by the dopeness.
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 