2011 was a milestone year for Roach Gigz. His Roachy Balboa 2 mixtape placed the Roach firmly in the national spotlight, in addition to earning him his debut national TV appearance on MTV2 Sucker Free, and his EP, Bitch, I’m A Player, gained critical acclaim from outlets including The New York Times, Pitchfork, FADER, Stereogum, and more. Now, Roach is excited to announce his official debut LP, Bugged Out, currently slated for a summer 2012 release. And with the announcement, Roach is releasing the video for the album’s lead single, “Wasabi.”
The song, which premiered in January with strong support from Bay Area powerhouse radio station 106 KMEL, was inspired by, and pays homage to, one of Roach’s biggest inspirations and influences, Bay legend Mac Dre. The video, directed by long-time Roach collaborator Aris Jerome, was shot throughout San Francisco and Oakland, paying respect to the fallen icon. “The song sample an old Dre song,” notes Roach, “so we shot it in front of both Mac Dre murals out here, the one in San Francisco and the one in Oakland.”
Most of all, though, the video is a fun affair, with clips of Roach partying at a local hookah bar (“We had a real party while we were shooting the video.”), interspersed with clips of landmark Bay scenery. And for all true fans of the movement that Mac Dre was so instrumental in spreading, Roach has a special cameo. “We even got B Luv, the famous Thizzle Dancer from Treal TV,” says Roach. “He’s in there gigging.”
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