The 2013 NAB Show gave us a different experience than most of what Las Vegas has to offer. While preparing to learn more about the now-old-news BlackMagic Pocket Camera, Sony’s 4k TV, and RED’s new Dragon sensors, a good friend of ours (Director of Photography, James Drake) told us about a Christian hip-hop artist in Las Vegas that had a new song he needed a video for and they asked me to direct it.
I’m not sure about you, but hearing the words ‘Christian hip-hop’gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. Due to prior experiences, I thought all “Christian Hip-Hop”was a culturally irrelevant group of people trying to fit in with a culture that they didn’t. I thought that Christian Rap was weak in message, weak in effect, and a generally-disingenuous art form.
Doc Jones
Then I met Doc Jones with the Saint City Project and One Eleven Band.
He’s a brilliant orator. He preaches well and prays with passion. If that was all, we’d be describing 97% of pastors in the world.
When we walked into the second-story hotel room with drug paraphernalia and its three users, Doc Jones was fully present. He had instant rapport with everyone in the room and he spoke with conviction, empathy, and love.
Seeing needles, spoons, pipes, sex workers, and broken down people consumed with addiction, I realized Doc Jones lives in a real unguarded world. He has committed his life to help the sick, feed the poor, and share a message of forgiveness and redemption to people that may otherwise be ignored. Our blog isn’t the place to give a full description of what he does, but you can read more and support him and his family at www.saintcityproject.com.
When listening to the words of “Dead Broke”by Doc Jones, remember his words are not hype and his message comes from what he does each and every day on the back streets and alleys of Las Vegas, NV.
Credits: "Dead Broke" was written by Doc Jones and arranged/mixed by Danny Odom. Directed & Edited by Seth Schaeffer. Director of Photography & Produced by James Drake. Camera Operator - Wade Yamaguchi. Acted by Michael Nicely. Grip and Gaffer - Cory Reynolds & Mark Walczak
Shot on a Canon C300 in Las Vegas during the 2013 NAB Show.
Hoptocopter™ Films is a film and video production company based in Grand Junction, CO.