Tamil-Canadian rapper Shan Vincent de Paul hooks up with composer and producer Santhosh Narayanan on “Neeye Oli,” a song about grit and holding onto one’s innermost greatness.
“Neeye Oli” will be featured in the forthcoming sports film, Sarpatta, premiering via Amazon Prime on July 22. Directed by PA Ranjith, the film showcases major actors such as Pasupathy and Ayra.
The video, shot in Toronto, depicts chic clothing from St. Lucian designer Kyle Gervacy and Jamaican stylist Zola Zee, who align their cultural milieus into an intersection of haute couture and the past with new wave avant-garde.
Analogous to Stallone’s famous movie Rocky, the visuals crystallize the inner dynamics discovered in “Neeye Oli,” which means ‘you are the light’ or ‘light yourself up.’ In the video, Shan and rapper and actress Navz-47 blend their hard-hitting flows into a dazzling antiphony.
Originally from Sri Lanka, Shan and his family left amid the civil war, finding refuge in Canada. As he grew up, Shan directed his life encounters into his music, beginning in Toronto’s vibrant underground rap scene. In 2016, he released his debut album, Saviors, which was highlighted and acclaimed in prestigious outlets such as High Snobiety, CBC, Clash Magazine, and Hip-Hop DX.
At 2016’s Independent Music Awards, Saviors received nominations for “Best Rap Album” and “Best Rap Song.” Shan followed by dropping Trigger Happy Heartbreak, which collected millions of streams. During his headlining tour of India, Shan performed at VH1’s Supersonic Festival and was featured in GQ India’s VIBE, and Rolling Stone India.
Shan’s forthcoming third studio album, Made in Jaffna, will drop in August.
“Neeye Oli” opens on a tight, syncopated beat topped by booming resonant layers of muscular splendor, infusing the tune with grand, warriorlike energy. Shan’s delicious flow imbues the rhymes with infectious audacious determination, followed by Navz-47’s brash, tantalizing flow.
Bursting with hefty, swaggering momentum and dazzling rapping back and forth between Shan and Navz-47, “Neeye Oli” delivers relentless impetus.
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