When you need a pick-me-up, Brooklyn rapper Casanova's ferocity can make you feel like you have the strength to run through a wall. Some of his best material harkens back to the Brooklyn that he grew up in, with hiked-up anthems about being untouchable. But once in a while, everyone is due for a gear shift: On a new collaboration with Tory Lanez and Davido, Casanova tries his hand at an afrobeats jam with "2 AM." The song's largely Lagos-shot video premieres today on FADER; it's a tried-and-true rap love song, with Casanova fondly reminiscing about where he first met the woman he's set eyes on. The song is also the lead single from Cas's upcoming EP, Free At Last, which is available for pre-order today. During a recent email conversation, he spoke about the making of the video and what can be expected from the EP.
I was following your posts on IG when you were in Nigeria to film the video. What did it mean for you to have Nigeria be one of the first places you got to touch outside of the states?
It meant everything to me. It was amazing to visit the Motherland. I felt free and one with my roots.
Tell me about the concept for the video. Did you have much creative input?
There’s a part of the song right before Davido’s verse where I say, "Davido take em to Africa," so we thought it would be a good idea for us to actually go to Nigeria and let Davido show us around. It’s dope because it’s really just the guys hanging out in a project in Lagos and turning up. Being in their element just in a different part of the world.
You’re gearing up to release a new EP. What are you hoping to accomplish with it that you haven’t been able to so far in your career?
I’m trying to reach a different audience and tap into other markets and expand my creativity.
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