OODLES O' NOODLES BABIES
Upon my initial encounter with the song, the phrase "oodles o' Noodles babies" ignited a cascade of thoughts, each word a catalyst for a multitude of reflections. Within that brief utterance lay a tapestry of meanings: the economic accessibility of oodles o' noodles, symbolizing a fundamental sustenance for families grappling with financial hardship. It painted a stark picture of survival within the constraints of scarcity, embodying the relentless struggle to transcend circumstances, particularly for those born into environments bereft of opportunity.
When it came time to translate these ruminations into a visual narrative through a music video, I partnered with Matt, and together, our goal was to encapsulate this poignant tale. We made a deliberate choice to kick off the video with a resonant quote: "it's the condition in which you plant your seeds that determine how they will grow." This served as the guiding ethos as the visual story unfolded.
The scenes unfolded against the backdrop of August 2006, portraying the daily existence of a family: a stove lighting up, a mother caught in a moment of respite with a cigarette, a child earnestly preparing a meal, and the father lingering in the background. Simultaneously, we hinted at preceding events, showcasing the father in a dubious situation within a car. As the "Oodles o' noodles" song resonated, the visual sequences oscillated between these interconnected moments. The kitchen tableau portrayed the child taking charge of cooking, bearing witness to the discord brewing between the parents.
Concurrently, we depicted the father and a companion engaged in suspicious activities, which eventually escalated into a tragic armed robbery culminating in a fatal outcome. Subsequent scenes laid bare the aftermath: the friend undergoing interrogation by detectives and ultimately implicating the father in the crime.
Fast forward to May 2017, the setting returned to the kitchen, but now the son found himself stepping into his father's shoes, unwittingly caught in a cycle echoing the past. As the son grappled with his own tribulations, the video mirrored his father's history, ensnaring him in a similar circumstance. Unbeknownst to his companion during a planned robbery, the son harbored intentions beyond mere theft, using the cover of the heist to get close and inflict harm.
The zenith of the narrative arrived as the son, unaware of his actions, replicated a deed mirroring his father's past. Yet, just as the cycle appeared unbreakable, a knock at the door heralded the father's return from incarceration. Symbolically passing on the orange jumpsuit, the father signified the perpetuation of this cycle, now entrusting his young son with a legacy fraught with consequences.
The jail scenes were meticulously crafted in my basement, a labor of collaboration between Matt and myself, even incorporating elements constructed by my late father. The resonance of the video reverberated widely, earning placement on esteemed platforms such as Rolling Stone, Vibe, and Billboard magazines' websites.
