Only a few days ago, Vince Staples announced the premiere of a new visual project, Ramona Park Broke My Heart: The Musical, streaming performances from his new album live this week via Moment House. Now that the streams have passed, Vince is sharing snippets for fans in the form of music videos capturing his live performances. The first is “When Sparks Fly,” the standout from Ramona Park Broke My Heart that recounts a doomed love affair between a boy and his gun.
The video sees Vince sprawled on a bus stop bench in front of a flower shop, laying his head in the lap of a woman. Both remain motionless for the duration of the video, while the camera captures them from multiple angles and Vince raps the tragic romance of “When Sparks Fly,” which is told from the perspective of the gun. It’s the perfect antidote to the problem he noted earlier this year. “I think they see the money in the violence,” he said of record labels, decrying the glamorization of violence during an interview with Peter Rosenberg. “When Sparks Fly” depicts the consequences of a life lived on the edge and points out the cyclical nature of that violence, making it sound exactly as devastating as it really is.
During the live show, Vince also performed his entire new album, including “Magic!” and “Rose Street,” as well as tracks from across his catalog.
Watch Vince Staples’ “When Sparks Fly” video from Ramona Park Broke My Heart: The Musical above.