Spring Issue Preview: Ground Up Goes “Overboard.”

January 23, 2012

by gwmiller3

Images by Caitlin Morris. Text by Sofiya Ballin.

It’s cold. Freezing cold. But like every Friday afternoon at Temple University’s Bell Tower there’s a cypher.

They’re like the United States Postal Service – “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail …”

No matter what there will be a cypher.

However, this time it’s different. There’s a camera man, new faces and a whole new kind of energy and excitement in the air. Philly hip-hop trio, Ground Up, is shooting a video for the song “Overboard,” off of their 10^th mixtape The Get Up, which slated to be released on March 6^th.

Despite frozen fingers, directors Calvin Scibilia and Matt Weslosky from Perpetual Pictures diligently set up their equipment.

“Our vision is a cypher-type video,” Scibilia explains. “It’s going to be a video that portrays a cypher in which people are having fun, instead of up in the club. We always try to take film to another level and keep it artsy.”

As the cypher is in progress, students stop and watch. University tour guides find it difficult to keep the attention of parents and prospective students who watch in admiration.

“I think it’s cool that we keep it at Temple because a lot of our fans are here,” says Bij Lincs, the producer and member of Ground Up. “It’s giving back to the students and fans.”

In the center of the pulsating circle stands the other 2/3rds of the group: 21-year old emcees Alexander Azar and Malcolm McDowell. They take complete ownership of the camera as they keep the energy vibrant whilst mouthing their lyrics.

“It’s a button that I learned to turn on and turn off,” McDowell says. “You gotta entertain people. It’s a part of the performance. Plus it hypes up everyone around me. I love my music so it’s easy to get excited.”

As the video shoot continues, a slight altercation occurs between Ground Up’s crew and the usual Temple cypher participants who are feeling territorial. Voices begin to rise, and the tension is evident. McDowell is clearly frustrated and tries to diffuse the argument. Within minutes both parties have calmed down.

“The bell tower’s like the muh-fuckin’ projects!” Azar jokes.

The Ground Up crew laughs and the shoot continues.

“I work hard not to be perceived as a ‘gangsta’ rapper but of course there are always problems,” McDowell explains.

The group’s manager Frank Santella beckons to the regular cypher crew, “You want to be in the video?”

The students who have been patiently watching eagerly run up to join. After three hours, featured artist Young Chris finally shows up. Ground Up wraps up the shoot, and everyone hangs out – like one big family.

“Some of this was planned and some of it was impromptu with the help of friends and fans,” says Azar. “That’s what helps keeps us going, all the support.”