ORION – “ROOKIE OF THE YEAR” – MUSIC VIDEOTitle: “Rookie of the Year”
Artist: Orion
Format: Music Video
Premiere: August 14, 2021
Length: 5:50
Genre(s): Rap, Hip-Hop
Label: Tric-Jam Records
Director: Orion, DeAndre Patton, Sara Brie-Loren
Starring: Orion, Sofia “BitchWat” Mendez, Elena Pinter, Various NFL Players
Platform: VEVO / Apple Music Videos / YouTube
The video begins with two young women outside of what looks like an exclusive nightclub, the women are portrayed by popular influencer BitchWat and an upcoming Danish model Elena Pinter. They can hear the muffled beats coming from outside of the club and they turn to look at each other with anticipation,
“This is the start of the rest of our lives.” says Elena to her friend,
“Bet. Someday we’re gonna fucking run this town.” states BitchWat emphatically and assertively as she places her hand out to Elena with palms facing up in the air, Elena enthusiastically slaps her hand down on top of her friends as they hold hands as they make their way inside of the nightclub. As they walk through the hallway leading to the main room, the music becomes louder and more prominent as the opening dreamy electro-beat of the brand new “Orion” track blare out over the speakers.
Starry eyed, the pair of young women glance around the room as people are dancing and having the time of their lives. As they walk hand in hand through the club their eyes are lighting up at the joy in the room and they find a space on the dancefloor as the music really kicks into gear with the energetic beats of the hip-hop track, the pair begin dancing with each other as the video cuts around the room and shows the crowd going crazy to the track. BitchWat confidently dances with her friend, playfully giving the stank face and double middle fingers to her friend as they dance, it’s a term of endearment and it becomes possible that the pair are closer than just friends as they start to get real close to each other on the dance floor, holding each other and grinding against each other, even teasing a kiss between each other before dramatically turning away to the beat of the music.
(Bellows)“All the talk in the build-up revolves around us
Green arrows pointing upwards signalling our expected trajectory
The rumours indicating that we’re a definite first round pick
But we know we ain’t just settling for that shit
We’re aiming for first overall
Cause that’s where the real bag is
They say you can fail at the shit you don’t love
So why not go all out for the shit that you want the fucking most
And the experts suggest that our stats don’t add up
But you can’t learn what we’ve got inside
From numbers on a white board
You can’t judge someone’s determination and drive
On stats written down
You gotta see us in the heart of the action
When the clocks running down
And then you’ll realize we’re in the running to take the fucking crown
Cause you already know
We run it up
And then we shut em’ down”
The scenes cut between the two girls partying in the club and the action shots from the NFL with the track and video likely to get heavy rotation throughout the Football season as the official anthem for the upcoming season. We see BitchWat and Elena dancing with each other to the song in the nightclub and action shots of the young rookie from last season Chase Young as he makes a last ditch block just outside of the end zone in his debut season in the NFL, we also see a couple more action shots from young NFL stars from days gone by which also includes a celebrating Lamar Jackson. The music is high energy, the type to get club goers and athletes both pumped up which is essentially the vibe of the video, showing the two very different sides appreciating the music in their own unique ways. The underlying metaphor of the track and video is the idea in having both Orion who in their breakout year have been seen very much in the same way as an early round draft pick in NFL would be seen and BitchWat who has seen her influence on social media see her very much in that similar way as she’s become an established name and voice within the industry in what has been a breakthrough year for her.
(Orion)“You know this is all I’ve got
And I’ve worked my whole damn life for this
Ain’t just here to blend in
You know I’mma fucking go for this
And I’m aiming for the top from the very beginning
On that rookie of the year shit
You know we’re fucking built for winning
On that rookie of the year shit
You know we’re fucking built for winning
(Circuit)Where we come from, that’s the shit that drives us forward
Underestimating and overachieving
You should all already fucking know that
Made it to New York on our own dime already running up our road miles
They say if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere
But when Hollywood comes calling
With an open suitcase and all the doors flung open
You know we’re gonna take it
Cause that’s where the real bag is
They say you can fail at the shit you don’t love
So why not go all out for the shit that you want the fucking most
Label execs, suits, checks and private jets
It’s a world away from where we come from
But we know we’ve earnt it
From day fucking one”
As the verses come thick and fast amidst the massive backbeat of the song, the scenes return from action shots back to the nightclub scenes, this time we’re met with the appearance of the guys from Orion in the club, it looks like the trio find themselves in the same place as BitchWat and Elena but in a more private area of the club with show girls dancing in booths we can see Boa interacting with one of the women through the booth and rapping as she dances behind him, we have Bellows looking down onto the dance floor where BitchWat and Elena are in the middle of the packed dancefloor and Circuit is sat at his table with drinks and women surrounding him. We then cut to the dance floor as the two girls continue to flirt and playfully dance with each other, laughing while doing it showing that they’re having a fun time with no real care in the world.
Again a subtle metaphor finds it’s way into this scene and the contrasting environments as Orion have their own world up there and the girls have their own world going on down on the dancefloor, two groups of people at what could be considered the peak of their life so far, in the same location, same business and living separate lives despite being the poster-boys/girls in their respective fields. It feels like it’s a way of saying that everybody’s success look different.
This becomes evident once more as the video crowbars in some more Football footage as we see New Orleans Saint’s running back Alvin Kamara bursting through a sea of defensive opponents to claim a touchdown and six points for the Saints, a couple of the rookie’s from this years draft see some of their moments from their college games highlighted with the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Ja’Marr Chase making appearances before the football portion of the video ends of who else but Patrick Mahomes flexing.
The scene switches for the final time to the nightclub as a security guy stood at the bottom of the stairs singles out a group of girls from the dancefloor, two of which include BitchWat and Elena as they’re offered the opportunity to go up to the private area of the club upstairs. They make their way up and grab bottles of the free drinks on offer, they see Boa across the room vibing to the music flanked by a number of half-naked girls, he gives a nod across at BitchWat as if to suggest she heads over towards him to join the party at which point she shakes her head, declining the offer. Boa nods back at her almost in approval at her not becoming one of those girls and as BitchWat and Elena turn to leave, they grab as many of the bottles as they can before racing downstairs being chased by one of the security.
{Boa}Stated this shit before, already staked our claim
We ain’t just passing by
We’re first ballot hall of fame
We don’t just exist
We’re here to change the fucking game
So if you on that come-up, change the playbook up
And maybe try out again
You could make the team next year
With the lessons that you learn
OrionYou know this is all I’ve got
And I’ve worked my whole damn life for this
Ain’t just here to blend in
You know I’mma fucking go for this
And I’m aiming for the top from the very beginning
On that rookie of the year shit
You know we’re fucking built for winning
On that rookie of the year shit
You know we’re fucking built for winning”
Credits & PersonnelCREDITSDirected by Orion, DeAndre Patton, Sara Brie-Loren
Lyrics by Orion
Story by Orion, Sara Brie-Loren, Sofia “BitchWat” Mendez
Produced by Sara Brie-Loren
Filmed on Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA
Bellows – himself
Boa – himself
Circuit – himself
Sofia “BitchWat” Mendez – party girl
Elena Pinter – party girl
PERSONNELBellows – actor, writer, director, concept artist
Boa – actor, writer, director, concept artist
Circuit – actor, writer, director, concept artist
Sofia “BitchWat” Mendez – actress, concept artist
Elena Pinter - actress
DeAndre Patton - director
Sara Brie-Loren – director, producer