Watch Hardwork Movement groove in reverse all around Philly for the “On the Rise” video
Philly hip-hop sensations Hardwork Movement are wasting no time getting 2017 off to a productive start. After packing the house at Johnny Brenda’s and then laying low for the holidays, the nine-piece emerged this week to debut a new music video for their recent single “On The Rise.” Shot in and around Philadelphia this autumn, it shows the core four-piece of Sterling Duns, Jeremy Keys, R.B. Ricks and Rick Banks grooving at recognizable locales from North Broad to the art museum, and everything looks all well-and normal until a jacket flies in from the wings and lands itself on Duns, or a sheet of paper uncrumples as Ricks and Keys pass it back and forth.
Inspired by The Pharcyde’s “Drop” video from the 90s, HWM shot the action in reverse and played it back to trippy effect.
“At times it looks like moving forward is super difficult due to the effect of shooting everything in reverse and playing it forward,” Keys tells us over email. “Which represents how tough it can be to keep pushing forward at times but pushing anyway to rise to the top.”
On the band’s path to the top this month are two appearances of note: they’ll perform at Ardmore Music Hall next Friday, January 20th, opening for Rebirth Brass Band (tickets and more information can be found here) and they’ll also take part in a Weathervane Music mastering workshop on January 28th at 10 a.m. (more information here).
Below, watch “On The Rise,” as well as The Pharcyde’s video that inspired it.