Chicago rapper Towkio is back with a stunning, self-directed video for his most recent single “Free Your Mind.” As part of the Savemoney crew, he comes from the same creative cloth as his fellow members Vic Mensa, Joey Purp and Chance the Rapper, to name a few. Towkio’s dropped two tracks from his upcoming album .wav Theory, including the “Free Your Mind” and “Involved” featuring Vic Mensa, with production from Kaytranada. He brings a fresh sound to music, rapping and singing over upbeat tracks that makes it almost impossible not to dance.
Towkio shows off his moves in the “Free Your Mind” video, with additional direction from Peter Campbell, as silhouette bounces around he smoky dance floor. In between red and blue flashing lights, he’s tantalized under the purple fog by the three girls in in crop tops who twirl and gracefully hit b-boy drops and stances. As one of the dancers catches his eye they instantly began two-stepping in sync and believably freeing their minds. Nothing about the choreography or the scene is overwhelmingly complex, the simplicity creates the vibe for attraction and fun to flow freely.
Join the party and watch the video for “Free Your Mind” above, and read a brief interview with him below:
What inspired the concept of the “Free Your Mind” video and the way it was shot?
Once we made the song, we just got to dancing around hitting disco moves and shit like it was soul train. Then I pulled up an old Soul Train video on silent and played the song over it and it matched up perfectly. So, we had to dance in the video and I've always had a thing for one shot videos because it really makes it about the performance. I know we did a really good job because we shot this over a year ago in December 2013 and it still looks good.
Do you like to dance or did you learn some of your moves from the girls dancing in the video?
Naw, if you no me you know I be hitting that shit! I've always had rhythm, shoutout to my mama.
How are you different in your approach to making music, in comparison with the rest of Savemoney?
I feel the most beautiful thing about us is that we cover every area of culture. Coming from Chicago our influences range from all different walks of life. My approach goes a little deeper than just music. I try to create content that echoes my beliefs, and I feel everything will come to me if I continue to do that. I choose sounds that move me, and keep stacking those sounds until we dancing. I love dance music because it moves people literally and physically. I grew up on strictly hip-hop/rap then started going to festivals to sell drugs and fell in love with the culture because people really came to get lost in the music. A majority of dance/electronic music is instrumental but when you add vocals with written content that registers with people it definitely adds to the experience.
Do you find it difficult to put the world on to your sound because in more recent years Chicago has been known for drill rap?
I feel like it might jus be the opposite because I'm offering something different.
Your music, especially, “Free Your Mind” feels good. What type of energy do you put into you music that makes it possible for you to create that vibe?
What I learned in music is the truth will prevail so I just try to show the world me, I just happen to always feel good. My music is a reflection of myself down to the chord choices, bmp, or rhythms I like to choose each element with my emotion in mind. Joey Purp's dad once told me, "The only thing people will remember is how you made them feel." So I want to make people feel good, feel free, feel limitless or they can hate me—either way I made them feel.
What artists would you like to collaborate with?
A lot of people but at the top it would be Daft Punk, Justice, Andre 300, Kanye, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Mr. Carmack, Hudson Mohawke, Diplo, Skrillex, Disclosure, AlunaGeorge—the list goes on. But mostly producers in which I feel we could blend and make something great.
Is "I can free your mind,” is that an approach you typically have when it comes to wooing women?
Naw but the song works. It actually worked twice. You read a girl the lyrics she might jus be like TRUUU.
What can fans expect on .wav Theory and what are you most excited about with the project?
Shit they can except to get turnt up. But what they can really expect is a well thought-out/in-depth/cohesive/creative/masterpiece!
I'm just excited to drop it.
