Rat Boy makes a flying start to 2019 by dropping his new track “Don’t Hesitate“. “Don’t Hesitate” is featured on Rat Boy’s second album INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN, which will be released on January 25th.
“Don’t Hesitate” is the perfect primer for what to expect from INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN. Rat Boy has found the perfect blend of anthemic aggro punk with boisterous hip-hop beats, all the while maintain the personality and attitude that first earned him attention. Meanwhile, the lyrics explore a conflict between outlaws and the police during a post-apocalyptic disorder.
Rat Boy explains, “‘DON’T HESITATE’ was recorded as a live band with Tim Armstrong (Rancid) and John King (Dust Brothers – producers of Beck and Beastie Boys) suggesting things for us to try out, like percussion through a space echo, distorted slide guitar and ukulele bass which is insanely subby. This was tracked live to a tape machine and then back out of the tape machine into Logic. I was then able to chop it up: 808s and early ‘90s Rebel MC style production.”
The accompanying video for “Don’t Hesitate” is Rat Boy’s first to be shot in LosAngeles. It depicts the Rat Boy gang as America’s most anarchic and inept delivery team. Combining playful humour with a vibrant palette and an exuberant energy, it recalls some of the famous alternative music videos of the Nineties. It was directed by Rat Boy, leading skate filmmaker/photographer Giovanni Reda and Thomas Davis, who was also the DOP.
Rat Boy says, “I was playing the first ‘Skate’ game one night which Giovanni Reda voices and just randomly decided to hit him up. I told him he was one of the voices that reminded me of my childhood. He got back to me the next day which tripped me out. He’s a legend and shot so much stuff I’ve been into growing up. The Gonz, Tyler, the Creator and the Big Brother skate magazine. We started chatting and met up one day and figured we should make something together.
I had the idea for a postal van when I was traveling round L.A. while recording and thought they looked rad. I drew up storyboards of the adventure that I think we stuck pretty close to. We were fully unaware of how fucking hard it is to shoot in L.A. with a small budget, no filming permits and no driving licenses. We kinda just guessed it.
A few shots came out of nowhere. Some dude crashed into a parked car on the road we were staying on and took off so there was a smashed up car at the side of the road. That was kinda lucky for us. Free high budget looking shit! Also we got magnetic signs made for a side of an aluminium van which none of us realized doesn’t go together!”