Who are THEY.? Talented L.A-based duo Dante Jones and Drew Love, of course. Having already lent their songwriting skills to some of your favorite musicians, under the watchful eye of Timbaland, Dante and Drew teamed up to create what many now refer to as ‘grunge’n’b.’ With a Skrillex collaboration, a tour with Bryson Tiller and a great EP already in the bag, you should really get to know them before they release their well-titled debut album, Nü Religion: Hyena on February 24.
Featuring the only alarm sound we’ve ever been happy to hear, their new single “U-RITE” is an addictive, feel-good number that has been on repeat at i-D HQ since it appeared online two weeks ago. “We should fuck around and drop a video.” THEY. tweeted yesterday. “It’s bout time right?” It was. It is. And in an exciting development, their first ever music video is available to watch right here. Full of strong dance moves, some cool Colorado locations, and approximately 1000 different looks, we’re big fans. Oh, and there’s drone footage. Lots of drone footage. Find out a little more about who THEY. are below.
What’s something you thought U were RITE about, but it turns out you were wrong?
I bet my brother $100 that Trump wouldn’t win the election.
What’s the track actually about?
Some people love to take up your time with BS. Drew and I always end the convo like “ok you right” and just leave it at that. It’s just a phrase we use pretty frequently.
There are a whole load of outfit changes in the video. Which is your favorite look?
Jerseys are always a staple our wardrobe and we got to show off a couple of the gems we have had. Keep an eye out for the Penny Hardaway.
Where was the video shot?
Denver, Colorado. Growing up, one of my favorite music videos was “Country Grammar.” I always want to shoot a video in my hometown and show what my city is really about. It was a dope moment to round up my friends and family and give them a chance to shine.
Tell us about the filming process.
It was a really fun experience. We went to all the major landmarks in Denver and brought about six to ten outfits to each stop. Colorado is such a diverse place and it gave us a lot of flexibility.
What’s your go-to dance move?
We have our own move that we call the ‘warm up’ dance. It’s our main move when we perform.
What makes you different?
We honestly don’t care what anyone thinks, everything that we do is about meeting our own standards. Whether it’s music or the way we dress, it’s all about being true to ourselves.
How do you intend to push music and culture forward?
We are really big into positive thinking and our ultimate goal is to continue to progress. Our vision will be the same, to offer something different for people to vibe with and continue to be empower our generation.
What can we expect from your debut album?
We really wanted the album to be a experience. We tried a lot of different sounds and I think people are going to be surprised by some of the risks that we took.
Tell us something to make us feel okay about the current state of the world.
It’s times like these that legends are born. It takes something as jarring a President Trump or Brexit to awaken people, and I’m excited to see how our generation bounces back.
Read: Sampha steps out on his own to deliver his defiant debut album, Process.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn