St. Louis Artist M.C Shares New Visual ft. Vega HeartBreak & Young Marlee Mar “MONDAY”
Channeling his life experiences and exceptional musical prowess, St. Louis musical marvel M.C expertly crafts genre-bending music that is
Channeling his life experiences and exceptional musical prowess, St. Louis musical marvel M.C expertly crafts genre-bending music that is gripping, mature, and truehearted. M.C got his start in the local St. Louis music scene, collaborating and touring with artists from the area. As an artist dedicated to amplifying St. Louis’ local music culture, M.C infuses elements from many genres such as hip-hop, R&B, rap, and others into his work, releasing various projects in the past that highlight his versatility, spanning from classic hip-hop anthems to heartfelt family-inspired tracks. Now a proud father to his thirteen-year-old daughter, Marlee, M.C’s music has shifted with his priorities. As he took on more responsibilities and faced greater hardship, M.C became a pioneer of musical transparency. By turning towards an “unconventional path” for a rapper, M.C pushes boundaries, creating a sound that is conscious, captivating, and creative—much like M.C himself.
“MONDAY” walks listeners through M.C’s vulnerable and personal expression of grief following the loss of his mother. Created originally as a therapeutic way for M.C to work through the immense hurt he was experiencing, his loved ones encouraged him to release the song to the world. In collaboration with hip-hop artist Vega HeartBreak and daughter Young Marlee Mar, M.C does not sugarcoat his pain. Rather, “MONDAY” expresses the anguish he feels now that his driving force is no longer there. “How can I smile when you’re not around?” asks M.C. “Everyday feels like a Monday, even Sunday.” With “MONDAY,” M.C bravely admits that even with the support of friends and family, the healing process is often “a solo mission.” M.C is not afraid to be honest with listeners—he understands that his life is not and will never be the same without his mother, yet, he recognizes the importance of moving forward. Its profound lyricism and authentic sound will pull at the heartstrings of even the most stoic listeners, extending a hand to those who may feel alone in their journey of loss.
Directed by Craig Thomas, the “MONDAY” music video is authentic to the core, putting viewers in M.C’s shoes during the heart-wrenching moments following his mother’s passing. Refusing to manufacture the details the music video explores the days after her passing in the very places where those emotions were first felt. The cinematic, cool-toned visuals play out like a short film as viewers watch M.C push through each day with his mother no longer there. It’s heartbreaking yet touching to watch M.C put his heart on his sleeve and speak the truth about the grief that has altered his life. He finds his way to healing, one step at a time, with the support of friends and family, including his daughter Young Marlee Mar. The video wraps up with a stunning visual as M.C and his loved ones gather at his mother’s house to release hundreds of bright red balloons into the sky. “I wanted to make it a big deal,” says M.C, “because she is a big deal to me.” As they float away into the clouds, they lovingly honor the memory and legacy of Arleen Denise. As life and loss are a part of everyone’s story, it’s sure to hit home for those who understand M.C feelings all too well.
Talk with us a little bit about the writing process for “MONDAY.” What encouraged you to write about a deeply personal story?
Honestly, hearing the beat/music composition is what moved me to write the song, I had no predetermined notion or motive until I heard the music and then it just flowed. It was truly an organic experience, very therapeutic.
What makes “MONDAY” stand apart from other songs in the rap genre? What motivates you to craft a sound and style that is unique?
Ok, to be honest, there are a ton of talented artists, the only thing that can really separate yourself is combining your story with your talent. No one can be me so that alone separates me and this record from the rest. I love music, that’s the only motivation I need, self-motivated. When you’re an independent artist, at some point if it’s not for the love, then what is it for? Most of us aren’t financially stable solely due to music, so you gotta love it to keep at it year after year after year.
What encouraged you to work with your thirteen-year-old daughter Young Marlee Mar on this project? Were there any especially impactful moments working with her that stand out to you?
We’ve actually worked on a few songs together, but being a dad is one thing in life I refuse to fail at, she’s my #1 priority, so it just came naturally honestly; to incorporate her… but I will say, she came to me and wanted to be on “Monday”, so that made it pretty special and impactful because she wanted to be involved and lend her vocals to express the love she had/has for her grandmother, whom she calls her Yia Yia.
Talk to us a little bit about the visuals in the “MONDAY” music video. How did you and your team bring your artistic vision to life?
The conversation was not over the top, we led with one goal in mind, the video had to be authentic. Authenticity carried more weight than the entertainment factor. I wasn’t concerned with being entertaining per se, I wanted it to be real and display the experience, raw emotions, and the aftermath. So we incorporated that, intertwined with the people and places that held the most weight. The hospital scene in the video was the actual hospital she passed away in, the raw emotions displayed moments after I left the hospital were a reenactment, yes but that’s exactly what happened, I broke down once I was alone in my vehicle… the attic scenes and balloon release were done at my mom’s house, everything visually, from the moments at my house with my daughter to being outside of my mom’s church struggling to go inside were real aspects of my life.
The visuals in your music video are quite cinematic—how did you ensure the visuals matched the emotion of the song?
Craig Thomas is an amazing Director, with a ton of credits on his resume, movies, TV shows, etc. I’ve worked with him in the past, but when I explained my thought process of bringing the song to life with a visual he was able to connect the dots and utilize his skill set to enhance everything I was attempting to do.
What was the most rewarding part of bringing such a personal story to life? Did you face any unexpected challenges along the way?
Honestly, the most rewarding part was witnessing how my family and friends received it. There were a lot of tears shed at the premiere, which made me feel like my mom was honored properly because the message was deeply felt. Two things stand out as far as unexpected challenges. I ordered 600 balloons for the balloon release; but on the day of the shoot, the balloon company called stating the balloons kept popping for some reason, so there was a delay with that. Also, the flying droid that captured the balloons in the air was at 5% battery life, we barely got that shot, but I’m thankful for that.
How important is it for you as a rap artist to share music that feels true to yourself? How does “MONDAY” showcase your drive for authenticity and maturity?
It’s everything, hip hop values authenticity. I’m a father, I have to walk it, like I talk it, because I’m setting the example, and being authentic brings value.
What emotions do you hope to evoke in listeners and viewers of “MONDAY?” What message do you hope to share with others who are going through similar journeys of grief?
Great question… hear me out… I was hesitant to release “Monday”. I thought to myself, how many times can someone listen to a sad song? You can’t really “ride” to this song, it can’t be played in clubs or lounges, but then I thought to myself, I wanted this to be more authentic than entertaining, so I’m not releasing this with a goal of radio play or streams, I’m release this to honor a great woman who had a profound impact on me and my daughter. I released this song and video in her honor, and that is all the motivation I needed that goal has been accomplished, but If people can find solace, if people need to cry to release that built-up grief, they can derive what best fits their needs, but it’s real and anytime its real everyone will have their version of therapy.
As an artist dedicated to pushing boundaries in your music, do you see yourself continuing to explore themes of grief and loss in future projects? What can fans look forward to?
Another great question, we all have our own unique path, am I trying to be an artist that only speaks about the loss of loved ones? Not necessarily, that’s not a lane I’m attempting to go for, but life presents challenges, and if I’m inspired by those, there’s a great chance I will write about it and create art around it.
Follow M.C
https://www.instagram.com/rcbmc
