“We Beautiful People” Music Video by Divine Suns

Song Title: We Beautiful People

Artist: Divine Suns 

Song Produced by: Dan Johns

Video Directed & Edited by: Daniel Johnson & Laquan Davis

For the People. By the People.

Video Description: If God were an artist, he’d paint in vivid, dripping, and swirling colors. He’d embrace imperfection and find the beauty in our collective ugliness. He’d paint you in front of a mirror, admiring all your flaws and embracing how they come together to create the picture of you. He’d sculpt you as a giant, towering over your piles of bills and stepping over your mountain of regrets. He’d hum blues tunes about the struggle and belt gospel songs about your triumph. He’d paint and sound just like you. He would look like us.

Fresh off the seamless patchwork, Chaos Theory, and a sanguine visual for Scarlet Letter; Divine Suns return with We Beautiful People, an homage to what is perfect within us all. Be advised: this really is a Movement.

The Suns are in rare form. Sporting their We Beautiful People t-shirts and b-boy swagger, the Suns trade bars in the W.A.L.L.S. and along Atlanta’s Beltline. Street art and graffiti cross-cut with scratches from South Carolina’s DJ Prince Ice fit perfectly with the song’s message and the video’s gentrified setting. Think the Humans of New York blog set to a thumping bassline and sharp, introspective lyrics. Best of all— they brought friends and family along for the ride.

The message should be clear. We are scarred. We are flawed. We’ve been branded; and yet, one thing remains true: We Beautiful People. Even the intentional absence of “are” acts as an announcement (a la The Declaration of Independence). For the People by the People.

In preparation for their new album, inCOREporated, Divine Suns also present webeautifulpeople.com, an interactive website where fans can keep current with new releases and custom design their own We Beautiful People apparel.
We Beautiful People is the lead single for Divine Sun’s next project, inCOREporated.

“No Debatin That!” Produced by Jonyfraze

With production and scratches by Jonyfraze, “No Debatin That!” Is a return to the signature Dan Johns sound. Tell us what you think! https://soundcloud.com/danjohns-1/no-debatin-that-produced-by-jonyfraze

Song Perspective: “My Moment”

By The Hunchpunch Champ

Though this is the third entry on the album the song was created towards the end of the album process. At this point, everybody was fined tuned in their writing, trust with each other was at a all time high, and distribution of songs was becoming easier. ‘Plex Stockton’ was slowly gaining rep within the crew as the assist man. He would acquire beats and flawlessly be able to assign which emcees would sound best over the track.

Personally 85 percent of my writing process happens in the car. There is something about driving and zoning out to a beat that makes it easier to catch cadences, witty word play, and concepts for me than just simply listening through headphones. There is a phrase we use ‘in the pocket’ that describes this. I was in the car when Plex sent out the beat. It immediately jumped on me, then through me. The bass line was entrapping. The drums immediate. In no time I was in the pocket.

As I explained at this point in the process our level of trust was growing amongst the crew, so much in fact, if one of us had and idea, the others would give them space to help manifest it. The words “my moment” began to repeat in my head. “My moment my moment my moment.” I was not sure how this was going to work into the song, but I sent Plex Long that phrase and said I think I got something. One thing that I have to respect out of the crew is when ideas are presented, they are never shut down or put to the side. Rather, they are picked up and ran with as shown when the following morning Plex had his verse. Which defined what the song was.

I always say I spit the realest things on Charlie P’s beats, but I also come up with  my best cadences as well. The bars came naturally and the flow was challenging but I was able to eventually nail it. I had an idea for the hook, but couldn’t get it quite together.  I asked Dan to take the reigns because I felt I was over thinking it and Dan is a master knocking mountains down to mole hills. I always say there is genius in simplicity and Dan made it clear when he came back with the hook in no time. A chest thumping, desperation declaration of “This is the Time. MY moment.” 

Additional Commentary:

Dan Johns: When I heard what Hunch did with his verse and that INSANE flow, I knew that I had to change up the flow to try and keep up. T

ANON the Griot: I was bumping Smiles and Cries II at the time, so I was crazy over Charlie P. tracks. I had already reached out and hollered about some out of the box type tracks when I heard “My Moment.” Since I had already blessed a few tracks by then, I couldn’t be offended. But damn, did I hate I that I didn’t jump on it. That subtle 808?

Plex Long: So, this is a funny story to me… I literally had to fight Charlie Pazinets to get this beat. continued below…

Me & Charlie P were jammin thru tracks in the lab, like we always do, and he played the beat as a raw idea in the making. I immediately was like “nah man, I need that for the ‘Chaos Theory’ album”. He was like “I don’t know Plex, it’s not finished, it’s just a basic idea I was playing with”. So we went back & forth for a while til he finally let me have it. I knew off the rip that the sound would be set off perfect by the voices/flows of Hunch & Dan, so I sent it to just them that night. Dan had just said he was gonna take a step back from the pen for a min, so he didn’t really react right away. Hunch said “I hear something about My Moment, like this is my moment, my moment”. So I ran with that and dropped my verse in the middle of the song and sent it to Hunch & Dan the next day. A day later Hunch dropped his verse and the foundation of the hook. Dan followed that with the rest of the hook and an anchor verse to make you press rewind & reconsider your bars. Another banger in the books, from the words of Dan Johns, “Don’t worry Charlie P, we got this”.

“Divine Suns” Official Music Video

Song Title: “Divine Suns”

Artist: Divine Suns ft. ANON The Griot, Dan Johns, Felix the Black Cat, The Hunch Punch Champ & Trice Be Magnetiq

Song Produced by: Dan Johns and Trice Be Magnetiq

Video Edited & Directed by: Magnesium

Video Description: Some of the greatest stories have never been told. Some of the best songs have never been heard. At least not on radio. Such is the case with the Atlanta collective of Divine Suns. A narrative that began in heated cyphers on the campus of Morehouse College sees the light of day with a crisp and humble visual treatment. And while not household names, they are hardly new to the game.

“Black Magnum” Music Video

Song Title: Black Magnum

 

Artist: Divine Suns ft. Plex Long, Diligent, Dan Johns & The HunchPunch Champ

 

Album: “Chaos Theory” (Coming Fall/Winter 2014)

Song Produced by: Dan Johns

Video Directed by: D. Aaron Hunter

Video Description: Plex Long is a businessman trapped in a maze with dire consequences. His new associate, Dan Johns, is anxiously awaiting the arrival of some precious cargo. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Plex enlists the help of his partner in crime (and rhyme), Diligent, to ensure prompt delivery of a mysterious package. Plex’s life hangs in the balance.

Director D. Aaron Hunter crafts a seamless collage of film noir, suspense, and comedy in a subtle homage to Quentin Tarantino. Boasting plenty of action cuts and cameos by fellow Divine Suns, ANON the Griot and Mikchek (Jarian Rich is the cool, other guy), Black Magnum is a visual metaphor for the David-and-Goliath battle of the emcee versus corporate interests. Black Magnum fronts the maxi-single release of Divine Sun’s Chaos Theory, an album commemorating 15 years of brotherhood and celebrating the reunion of an “album never released.”

 

Official Video Link: http://youtu.be/Nb0Bh92fdMM

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id908936123

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Divine_Suns_Black_Magnum?id=B656ammao2ie5rtl7n3qcz5742y

Twitter: @DivineSunsMusic @PlexLong @HunchPunchChamp @DanJohnny5 @DiligentSWATs

Instagram: @DivineSunsMusic @PlexLongBBE @HunchPunchChamp @DanJohnny5

Official Facebook Fan Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DivineSunsMusic

Sound Cloud Page: http://www.SoundCloud.com/DivineSunsMusic

 

Hungry Arms (Divine Suns ft. Mikchek, Anon, Dan Johns)

Being hungry is an art and the Divine Suns have mastered the craft. The Morehouse alums make feast from famine this Divine Sunday. “Hungry Arms,” produced by Germany’s DJ Snapshot, finds Mikchek, ANON, and Dan Johns trading bars like a Hip Hop bazaar. The visuals, shot in Florence, South Carolina and Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, illustrate the magic which i sthe Suns: backyards and boom bap collide in a visual feeding frenzy. Grab your plates and prepare to be served.

“Alpha Writer” is Finally HERE!

His first full-length release in 5 years, “Alpha Writer” puts the maturation of a man as an artist, but more importantly, as a father and husband. The signature Dan Johns sound is present, but has evolved and become more refined and polished. The subject matter is more diverse, and even more personal. Frequent collaborators such as Croup, Jah Freedom, Encore, Akshun, Fat Rat Da Czar and DJ Stylz make notable contributions, but one of the things that sets “Alpha Writer” apart from his previous work is the inclusion of several generations of Dan’s family.

Keeping with the personal vibe of the project, ALL PROFIT from “Alpha Writer” will be donated to the medical care of Dan’s father, who is currently on the kidney transplant list. Get your Copy Today!

Alpha Writer on Bandcamp

Alpha Writer on Itunes

Alpha Writer on Amazon

Alpha Writer on Google Play