Ric Wilson is setting the tone for 2023 with “Pay It No Mind,” the debut collaborative single from Wilson, Chromeo and A-Trak out today, February 22. The groovy, infectious track was also produced alongside Pomo, but Wilson is undoubtedly the video’s star.
Directed by Bob, the “Pay It No Mind” visual begins with Wilson confidently strutting into a live drawing class and stripping down to be their nude model. “Footwork through all the bullsh*t,” he sings over a bouncy, shimmering beat. “And just keep glowing while they hopin’ that you ruin / Tell ’em pay no mind, mind, mind, mind to it.”
Wilson also seamlessly slips into a buttery flow, rapping, “Dribble like I play for the Raptors / Can’t nobody else dunk faster.” (Hopefully his hometown Chicago Bulls won’t take offense that he name-checked the Toronto Raptors.)
According to a press release, “Pay It No Mind” was written and recorded during the pandemic in California after A-Trak “was introduced to Wilson’s music via Wilson’s own manager, which led to A-Trak sharing with his brother Dave 1 of the Canadian funk group Chromeo.”
It continues, “The first of many inspired sessions also found the crew discussing everything from socialism and communism to peoples movements and career oral histories.”
And based on Instagram posts from Chromeo and Wilson, we’ll be hearing more from those sessions.
Wilson thanked “funk lordz” Chromeo and “A-Trak the GOAT” for contributing to “Pay It No Mind” before teasing, “We also got more coming soon.” He included in the Instagram caption that the song’s title was inspired by Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson” and is “a song about sticking to your own drum and not letting bystanders, critics and haters sway your happiness, goals and pursuit of liberation.”
Chromeo took it one step further by more or less confirming that they either are working on or have completed an album for Wilson.
“We connected with Ric during the pando and hit it off so we were just like ‘Ric, we’re about to make you an album!'” Chromeo wrote. “We don’t produce for other artists a lot and we particularly love to lend our sound to someone on the come up, to help amplify their talent and message. It’s gotta feel personal. PLUS if they’ve got the cojones to get naked in their video, you gotta respect it.”
Watch the “Pay It No Mind” video above.
