Like LeBron James, Cleveland rapper/singer Ripp Flamez places the spotlight on his city with his menacing “Shine Light” video. The visual continues a storyline that began with the “PayBack” video. Ripp Flamez explains, “From the beginning of the ‘PayBack’ video, I’ve been on a mission to obtain something that originally belonged to me, looking for a certain person who represents every person I’ve felt robbed me of something, I find him, take him to a place where I plan to kill him only to realize they only exist if I allow them to, and he vanishes.”
Born in the Garden Valley Projects, one of Cleveland’s roughest areas, Ripp Flamez found himself alone after his father died and his brother got locked up. Flamez channels his struggle and brings his experience to life through his rhymes.
“The Cleveland music scene is kind of like everything else here, you always come so close, but never actually make it,” he says. “I found my sound in the midst of all that; it’s a tough city and you have to earn your support, you have to show what you really about.”
