Atlanta trap rap anchor artist 2 Chainz always seems to find a way to make even the most simple video concepts engaging in his execution. In the video for “Money Maker,” he highlighted HBCU marching bands, while in the one for “Quarantine Thick,” a sleepover evolves into a pizza party feeding frenzy. Most recently, he adopted the doppelganger approach for “Can’t Go For That,” playing off fellow ATLien Andre 3000’s video for “Hey Ya!” His latest video from So Help Me God, “Toni,” employs another simple treatment: Chainz lounges on a bed in an opulent mansion while two women twerk and pillow fight behind him.
As I said, it’s a simple concept — but something about it just works. Chainz knows his brand and sticks to it, even when he’s opening up political rallies with rambling speeches and performances of his biggest hits or popping up on a special Atlanta rap icon-themed episode of Celebrity Family Feud. That self-possession benefits him a lot; despite havng to push back the release of his latest album, So Help Me God, he still managed to complete a near-flawless rollout, previewing songs from the album early on NBA 2K21, trading hits with Rick Ross in a good-natured Verzuz battle, and using strategic guest appearances, such as his verse on the remix of Kanye’s “Nah Nah Nah” to keep 2 Chainz on the top of rap fans’ minds throughout 2020. Now that he’s introduced us to “Toni,” it’s almost guaranteed he’ll keep that momentum going thanks to his new alter ego.
Watch the “Toni” video above. Listen to So Help Me God, out now on Def Jam, here.
