Music videos have been condemned for portraying many of the sins Hip-Hop has been found committing in the last decade. There are however a minority of video directors who do their utmost to keep the creativity, as opposed to the misogyny, prevalent in their work.One of these extraordinary league of gentleman would be Maryland native Chris Robinson. With an extensive resume stretching back as far as the mid nineties, Robinson has over 200 videos to his name. Sliding over to the movies last year saw his Directorial debut, ATL featuring rapper TI welcomed by critics who may have expected nothing but an extended music video.Showing determination, perseverance and an undying love for Hip-Hop, Robinson got his start on a video through Profile Records. The label was in unfamiliar territory when Chris started his endeavors to get himself recognized. The staff at the label had been laid off and the future of the label that had housed bands such as Run DMC wasnt even known.Every day I would call Fred Salmon at Profile, he would be sat in the office by himself and I am this crazy kid calling from Baltimore trying to get some work. Then when Profile got back up on its feet, he had this artist called Smooth the Hustler. He hit me up and told me there was a video but there wasnt much money, did I want to do it? and I was in heaven, Chris confided. His resume soon began to flourish and his reputation was making its way to the labels who controlled budgets for visuals that he knew he was capable of pulling off. Working with names like The Beat Nuts which featured the late Big Pun still is his special moment in video production.Fast forward to the present and Chris Robinson has established himself as a firm favorite with the A List artists of the music world. But there is a lot more to Chris Robinson than just music videos. He was a founder of Boost Mobile Rock Corps (BMRC), a not for profit organization based in America.The concept of BMRC is to compensate the 16-24 demographic for their work in their own communities with concert tickets. Using some of Hip-Hop and rocks biggest names to encourage the younger generation to stand up and take control of their cities and towns has become a concept that has surpassed even its founders expectations.
We knew it would be successful, through history the youth has been pushed to the side, here we are providing a platform, Robinson explained. His extensive list of friends and associates have performed for Boost Mobile Rock Corps and they say it doesnt help to have friends in high places?
Chris Robinson shows as much enthusiasm for his work now as he did back in the early years of his rise to the top as one of the best videographers of our time. With his own company Robot Films and a budding supporting cast of new directors and producers who are inspiring him as they watch and learn from a master, Chris Robinson will always be the man to deliver a grade A product.
Melanie Cornish
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