$NOT: It's really a 'Cruel World' in the music video but you can't help but love it
Rap artist $NOT always impresses when it comes to putting out new music but getting the visual treatment too? Always appreciated. So it’s a big salute to the hip-hop star seeing the new ‘Cruel World’ music video.
From hitting the swamps to turning up with the ski mask on, you can’t help but keep tabs on what $NOT is serving up cinematically. Tap in.
Processing his pain from behind his ever-present hoodie, $NOT is an introverted star in an extroverted genre. The rapper explains the wisdom behind his solitary philosophy in "Cruel World," his defiant new video single. Delivering low-talking rhymes over minor-key piano arpeggios and haunting organs that would be right at home in a horror film, $NOT chronicles his pet peeves, ranging from short-lived relationships to fake friendships to shameless clout-seeking. On the hook, the 25-year-old finally can't take it anymore, repeating the word "NO!" to make himself clear.
Taking inspiration from the R-Rated sleaze of Wild Things and the vigilante vibes of Dexter, "Cruel World" posits $NOT as a new kind of Florida man. Undaunted by the swampy weather, $NOT rocks a hoodie and puffer vest as he heads to the Everglades for some Sunshine State shenanigans, including airboat excursions, gator wrangling, and more. "Cruel World" was directed by Chris Villa, who directed A$AP Rocky's "RIOT (Rowdy Pipe'n)" and Ice Spice's "In Ha Mood" videos. His first new video since the psychedelic "Easter Pink," "Cruel World" will appear on $NOT's next album, the anticipated follow-up to 2022's Ethereal, coming soon via 300 Ent.
$NOT has had a busy 2023, spending months on the road during the 33-date “Get Busy Or Die Tour.” With support from Night Lovell, Eem Triplin, and DC The Don, the fast-selling “Get Busy Or Die Tour” connected $NOT with fans from coast to coast – selling over 45,000 tickets. Last February, $NOT shared his project Ethereal via 300 Ent., with creative direction by AWGE and appearances from A$AP Rocky, Trippie Redd, Joey Bada$$, Juicy J. The AWGE-directed video for the single “Doja” ft. A$AP Rocky reached YouTube’s trending chart after the audio generated over 10 million combined streams in its first week of release. Powered by a memorable hook that caught the attention of Doja Cat herself, “Doja” premiered at #87 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming $NOT’s first Hot 100 hit as a lead artist. Recently, A$AP Rocky brought $NOT out during his headlining set at Rolling Loud Miami to perform the single. Buoyed by Ethereal, and previous hits including "Mean" (GOLD), "Gosha" (PLATINUM), "Tell Em" (2x PLATINUM) and "Beretta" (GOLD), $NOT's catalog has generated over 2 billion total streams across platforms.
With a new album on the way–details to come soon–keep an eye on the young rapper as he continues to evolve into an icon on his own uncompromising terms.
