Behind the Video: Mike Marshall, aka blackbyrd, Discusses His Video Project “120 Minutes”

While they are still made and created, music videos just don’t stand out like they used to. As an artist with great appreciation for the days of MTV, Mike Marshall, aka blackbyrd, came up with an innovative video project he has titled “120 Minutes.” Formally known as mikeyblackkk, blackbyrd was inspired to create this by the MTV show of the same name. It features him rapping over four very recognizable rock instrumentals of the past. Showing exquisite taste, the instrumentals are taken from The Smiths, The Cure, Radiohead, and The Cocteau Twins. The video is edited to resemble MTV in the 1990s, and it features clips and interviews with some of blackbyrd’s favourite artists of that era. Musically, 120 Minutes combines the essence of boom bap hip hop and jangle rock.

Originally from Western Massachusetts, blackbyrd is a very unique artist. He combines shoegaze, post-punk, and indie rock with hip hop lyricism in the mould of Nas or Kendrick Lamar. He’s a do-it-yourself kind of artist, with originality a big part of his guiding force. blackbyrd is the musical expression for all of the genres he wants to incorporate into his music.

Today, blackbyrd joins us for a Behind the Video interview to discuss his long-form video project, “120 Minutes.” He talks more about its inspirations, concepts he worked with, what stood out, and more.

Who directed the video?

Mike Marshall: “I directed and edited the whole thing. I’m into filmmaking as much as I am into music, so this was really a chance for me to get on my Orson Welles shit and make something that could visually complement the music.”

What’s the concept behind the video? Help us to understand the video’s concept in more detail and how it ties into the lyrics.

“There was an MTV show in the ’80s and ’90s called ‘120 Minutes,’ and they would play really niche alternative artists like Husker Du and Dinosaur Jr. I wasn’t alive when it was on, but I would watch reruns all the time on YouTube. So when I had the concept to rap over alternative rock instrumentals, I thought it would be cool to add another layer and edit it all together to make it look like it was an episode of ‘120 Minutes.’ It became this kind of long-form art piece. There are four separate songs, but they are definitely meant to be listened to together, not individually. I call it an album, but it’s not one in the traditional sense. It’s really unique and hard to pin down, and that’s what I love about it.”

Mike Marshall, photo by Joshua Cuevas (@01013penny)

Mike Marshall, photo by Joshua Cuevas (@01013penny)

Based on how this one was made, are you looking forward to doing another?

“For sure. I’ve already been plotting on how to incorporate a visual aspect to my next full-length album. I’m a huge film buff, so what this project did was really allow me to tap into my love of both filmmaking and music. And that’s something I’m definitely looking to keep as part of my aesthetic. I would love to be known as an artist like Childish Gambino, who excels in film and music, and this video was really the first step towards that.”

What are some of your favourite music videos? What about when you were growing up?

“I remember being at my grandparents’ when I was a kid and just locking myself in the back room to watch MTV Jams and MTV Soul. So a lot of my favourite music videos come from that era. ‘Through the Wire’ and ‘All Falls Down’ by Kanye West are the first that come into my head. Erykah Badu had a really dope video for her song ‘Honey’ where she performed as different album covers. A big influence on ‘120 Minutes’ though, was the ‘Buddy Holly’ video from Weezer. The way they blended the ’60s footage with modern footage was a huge inspiration when I was editing in clips from old MTV shows.”

Any concepts where you started and midway through thought, “What the fuck are we doing?”

“Big time. For the song ‘Charmed,’ where I rap over an instrumental from The Smiths, the original idea was for me to be performing the song in a graveyard. I thought it made sense because The Smiths are so brooding, and one of my favourite songs from them is ‘Cemetery Gates.’ We shot a bunch of footage, and I edited it all together, and I remember watching it back and realizing it was god awful.”

Mike Marshall ‘120 Minutes’ album artwork

Which band or artist do you think had the greatest music videos?

“Kendrick has got that for sure. At this stage in his career, he’s got nothing left to prove, and he could just put out whatever, but he continues to push himself creatively, and that’s why he’s the greatest. His visuals are so layered and complex, he can make a three-minute song feel like a whole film.”

Is a well-made DIY video just as good or beneficial as a professionally-made/directed video?

“Of course. ‘120 Minutes’ is the definition of DIY, and it’s by far the piece of work I’m most proud of in my career so far. I think with a DIY video, the limited budget really forces you to be creative. What could be done very easily in a professionally made video might take some extra steps if you’re doing it yourself. But those extra steps will probably make your video more unique and stand out. That’s what’s so great about the first Evil Dead. It’s a DIY movie, and it wouldn’t have been the same if it were made at a big studio.”

What was your favourite part behind the creation of the video?

“Definitely editing it. Shooting is exhausting because any little thing can go wrong, and then you gotta think on the fly how to fix it. But in the editing room, everything is already there for you; you just have to figure out where it goes. I wasn’t sure if the idea of editing it to be an MTV episode would even work, but once I got about two minutes in, everything was coming out exactly how I envisioned it. And that’s the best feeling as a creative.”