Featuring the well-dressed suitor Shawn "Erock" Sutton—forever emblazoned in our cultural memory—Brandy's Christmas Party for Two music video, directed by William Sikora III and Frank Gatson Jr., and produced by Michael Zielinkski, premiered on December 5, 2023. Approaching 400K views on YouTube and 1.520M streams on Spotify alone, the video symbolizes authentic beauty, reverence, and connection when we draw near and gaze upon that special someone in our lives, giving ourselves time and space to catch a glimpse into an otherwise black & white world we dare to colorize in our own, unique way.
Such is the feeling we share when we envision ourselves returning to love and permitting ourselves to love again and again. The song—composed and arranged by Theron "Neff-U" Feemster, and written by Brandy, Coleridge Tillman, and him—enlivens and portends a special kind of transcendence, magical creativity, a willingness to love and be loved. This iconic work of art invites us into an evolving Have You Ever love story incandescent of a fleeting Full Moon. For love's sake, we are invited to imagine once again feeling desired, loved, and simply cared for, as we encounter Brandy and her suitor (Shawn "Erock" Sutton) rekindling their love for one another. The true gift is, as Brandy sweetly intones: "I'll be your present/Just give me your presence/That's all that I'm asking of you."
Streaming now — "Christmas Party for Two"
"Erock" with "Queen Bey," Billboard's Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century
Wearing a black-knitted balaclava fashion piece with eyes exposed, mirroring Beyoncé's headgear in the opening segment where we first see her strutting down a deserted parking garage as members of her female militia meet up with and step into view, Beyoncé's "Superpower" hero (Shawn "Erock" Sutton) enters the frame as if a causality of war. We bear witness to Beyoncé sporting an Army fatigue jacket, kneeling and placing her now uncovered beautifully lit and flawless face and blond tresses into the prostrated chest of her wounded, fallen hero (Shawn "Erock" Sutton) whom she tenderly pulls towards her and stares into his eyes against a chaotic backdrop of civil unrest marked by a red flag that reads: "Feel It In The Air." A symbol of loving resistance, the hero and Beyoncé backed by an entourage of civilian protestors run unarmed in tactical fashion towards a line of state-sponsored police or military officers, each armed in protective gear and translucent SWAT-like Ballistic shields. The iconic scene ends with "Erock" and Beyoncé leading the "rebel" cause (center frame), her right hand clasping his left, as their heads turn towards one another, and their eyes meet in a symbolic gesture of love, resistance, and collective unity and solidarity.
Who would have imagined that, despite his lineage of Black migrants settling in Brownsville by way of the Jim Crow-era South for a better life and employment opportunities and facing another kind of Jim Crow in the Northeast, Beyoncé's "Superpower" hero, Shawn "Erock" Sutton, would be a beacon of light, resistance, hope, and collective unity, representing his hometown?
In his song Yea Yea Yea featuring Radio Yung, "Erock" drops lyrics alluding to struggles he's faced growing up in a cycle of poverty, drug addiction, crime, etc.... In 2013, just a year before he was cast as the hero in Superpower, 39% of Brownsville residents fell below the poverty line, compared to 43% in 2000. For "Erock," this isn't just the story of his hometown, but one that sheds light on a larger system and network of criminal activity and systematic oppression coded into the DNA of America.
He understands and celebrates the power of collaborative artistry. In April 16 an ode to his birthday, he samples the classic hook You Make Me Feel Brand New popularized by the Stylistics. His approach is organic and honors other great and iconic artists without feeling the need to compete or outdo them. He carries and masters divine "knowing" that whatever God has for him and the reach of his talent and audience can never be mimicked, duplicated, outdone, or taken away. As Nathanael from Bethsaida (John 1:43-44) would ask his friend Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46), referring to the Messiah coming in the person of Jesus, from such a humble and disparaged place as Nazareth. And so it is with Shawn "Erock" Sutton. And like Philip, I say in response: "Come and See ["Erock"]!
TC: Being from Brownsville, what would you tell people who share your background of growing up in a cycle of poverty and systematic oppression? A lot of times we focus on our young people—the next generation of leaders if you will—when asking this question. But thinking about people who just want to be seen in a positive light, rather than being defined or judged by the zip code they happen to live in, or the side of town they live on, or their background, you name it. What words of advice would you share with them—with us?
Erock: It starts with love and inspiring others. I come from a place where I didn't know what I was going to do growing up. I could've gone down the wrong road... and actually did for a bit... but I picked it up and got back on track. The first thing I would say is let's stop hurting each other. That's the first thing. The second thing: Be fearless! Be kind to each other. That also starts with forgiveness of anything or bad blood we have toward one another. Look out for your brother. Look out for your sister. If they're feeling sad, or if they're going through something, look to help them out. Let's love one another. Let's help each other out. If they look sad, or if they're doing something bad, teach them... that little bitty thing we don't do to one another is what we should do.
Along those lines, the other thing I would say is: Stay prayed up…! Never give up! Those things in your head that you hear, that’s fear. They don’t want to see you doing the right thing. You have to block that out of your head. Work ten times harder than what you’ve got! You feel it! You know you can do it, even though you go through a lot in life. When 'they' don’t give you your chances, that doesn’t matter. The thing you feel inside of you, go with that. Go with what’s right. Stay prayed up, and keep good people around you—those people who say and show you, ‘Yeah, you can do that! Can you see [it]…?' And keep going, and don’t stop. At the end of the road, God will always bless you, but you’ve got to work hard for it though, with a pure and kind heart.... You've just got to know you can do it. It might sound crazy, but go with it.
In 2011, in background scenes that titillate opening scenes from an orgiastic pop-up at an undisclosed location with the appearance and allure of an abandoned basement of a warehouse and hangar used to transport precious cargo by day, Shawn "Erock" Sutton appears bare-chested in several shots of this four-minute and twenty-two-second music video, alongside closely spaced bodies clad in minimalist streetwear and club-vibe fashion pieces. Released April 05, 2011, the MV featuring "Lil' Wayne" has 259,892,564+ views, directed by Sarah Chatfield and choreographed by Frank Gatson.
Thirty-five seconds into "Ice," Shawn "Erock" Sutton appears, walking towards the camera with shirtless, golden-brown, honey-coated skin, a buzz cut, and a pair of low-rise jeans. Released November 13, 2012, directed by Matthew Rolston and Choreographed by JaQuel Knight, the music video has 38,521,175+ views.
TC: It looks like we can listen to a lot of your music on Soundcloud. That's where I discovered one of your first releases—The Runner. As I understand it, you've been creating beats and rapping since you were 16, which started at a friend's crib in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Sounds like the making of Hip Hop in the early1970s with DJ Kool Herc out of the Bronx, NY. I think it speaks to your earlier days of modeling, and how you've had to encourage yourself. I'm sure tuning out some of the voices in your head has occurred at some level. To what do you attribute your grit, tenacity, and self-confidence to move in more positive directions?
Erock: It comes from a place when I started modeling, being on that journey to become a model I always went through obstacles, challenges, and trials. I was giving you a little bit of insight into what I had been going through. Shout out to my boy, NCAA basketball star "Lee Lee" (Levance Fields) and his family. It was at his crib when I was 16 where I started rapping.
He and his mother took me in—my mom was in the streets hustling... my dad was dead. His sister was there for me, too. I watched and was inspired by him. He used to tell me how great I was and all that. So, yea, I attribute my success to him and his family as well. That helped me out a lot.
Erock: So I think about and ask that same question. When it comes to the Runner, I was running to the top! I wanted to give some punch lines here and there. There are always lessons in it. For the most part, you've gotta stay prayed up and believe in yourself—follow your dreams and vision. You have to be persistent in a humble way, something that reflects life experiences and how a person deals with personal challenges—one thing that brings me back to hip-hop because it's rooted in observation and personal experiences of poverty, culture, and hardship. I know one thing: ‘We’re all going to die!’ That I’ve never forgotten.
I’ve been in situations where I could've been on both sides of that fence. I’ve seen a lot of people go—especially my mom and my father. It’s been a lot of stuff. Just knowing that… just knowing that you can make a difference out here before you go has done something to me… and that’s what I’ve got to do to change the narrative about certain things. I think you just need people who care to come together and keep believing. I don’t really pay attention to anything else. It’s just the way I look at life.
TC: Much of your music is Hip Hop, if I had to pick a category to index or label it. But how would you describe it?
Erock: My style combines different forms and sources of music and dialogue. For example, I sampled a Rolling Stones interview with Mick Jagger in the Runner. What I love most about my music is that it speaks to my life. I think a good artist uses their art as therapy. One day I’ll write a book about this (he laughs).
I use a lot of metaphor in my music. For example, the title of one of my songs Molly names a female character—feminizes this character in such a way that men and women can relate to that feminine experience of Molly. Playing on some of the tropes of female
beauty, Molly is about an experience with that special someone, unable to
break away from them, but knowing that you should and at the same time feeling even more
drawn to them with each sense of rejection and longing to climax with them, if you
catch my drift.
I have my label GBM. It started a long time ago… It’s a music group, more than a record label. It's a collective of artists who support one another. Some friends and I started. It's felt... it's Black motivation, Black Power-Empowerment…. We talk about and address things like police brutality. A lot of my stuff can be streamed for free on Soundcloud. On my album you can hear their [GBM] songs. Each person has their own songs on their own albums and projects. You can also catch them on my album.
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TC: Did GBM inspire or shape some of the songs as part of the "22" album?
Erock: I was really gonna do "22" [songs] but COVID hit, and a lot of the studios got closed and stuff. I still wanted to give something out, so I put out a few songs that would've made it on the "22" album of 22 songs. It's a journey, and I'm still on a journey, so by the time I get to 22 [songs] there'll be more things to talk about, different situations... me being a better vocalist, rapper, artist, and my creativity will get better. I figured dropping songs off the album would give them a little something of where I'm taking them to—to get them ready.
TC: Describe your process for coming up with the songs for "22"? And I understand that you're a father now, and I know how much family means to you.
Erock: The songs are really passionate: [Intro] Deuce Deuce, More Real, and Miséricorde come from a quiet place that I tap into. It's kind of a tease of my potential, where I've evolved, and where I'm taking it on the next projects. And, yea, God blessed me with a son who was—just so happens—born on the 23rd. I'm on the 16th. My dad, the 18th. Mom's the 22nd. So, yea, "23" is coming soon.
Musically, I’ve gotten better than before. I know how to record myself and engineer more. I’ve been learning more things about my voice. Some people love my raspy sound; some don’t. Originality. Yes, you’ve got to look like yourself, be yourself, and sound like yourself. Do your research about Hip Hop! Get a concept going on. Try to create something different. And put some heart into it. And remember... the small things matter.
For Shawn "Erock" Sutton: Press & Media Overview
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Inspiring, Indepth look into the life and work of a legend! Model, Rapper! Artist! Let's go Erock!