Juvenile recently
wrapped a new, gritty video for "Get Ya Hustle On" that captures the
continued desolation in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina.
The rapper and
New Orleans native is one of the first artists to be granted access to the lower
Ninth Ward since a levee breach flooded the streets in the natural disaster.
The video, which
is still in production, was shot over a four-day period in a documentary style.
Ya Hustle On,"
a politically charged song, criticized local and nationalgovernmental forces for neglecting the city’s poorest and disenfranchised.
"It’s
more like out with the old, in with the new," Juvenile said of the efforts
to rebuild New Orleans. "Now you got [wealthy real estate barons] down
there, buying up all the property – now it’s a big business venture. If
you didn’t pay your taxes on your property – and half of the people weren’t
able to pay taxes, you know – a lot of people lost their money for real.
While most of Reality
Check
, the rapper’s upcoming album, was recorded prior to the hurricane,he re-added songs like "Get Ya Hustle On" to address the plight of
the victims.
The
video, directed by Ben Mor, depicts three children that find masks of President
Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Mayor Ray Nagin.
The opposing side
of the masks says, "Help Is Coming."
The beginning of
the video says, "This is a tribute to those who died in the wrath of Hurricane
Katrina. The storm may have passed, but for thousands the struggle is just beginning."
To view images
from the shoot click this link.
For more insight
on Juvenile’s views on Hurricane Katrina and the political controversy surrounding
it, read Juvenile’s AllHipHop.com
Juvenile’s UTP/Atlantic
debut, Reality Check, is due on March 7.
