Premiere: Winnipeg’s Anthony OKS and Begonia Forge a “Fortified Bond”

Be it supposedly wintery Winnipeg, or tricked out rap video cars, MC Anthony OKS and singer Begonia are masters of subversion in their new clip for “Fortified Bond.” The rapper’s latest single from his recently released EP The Garden finds him and the heavenly voiced singer bandying lyrics over a beat as lush and breezy as the summery Winnipeg afternoon in which the music video is set, several key scenes of which find him cruising in a classy Oldsmobile 442 cutlass muscle car.

“Our city is usually thought of as a colder, darker place for our intense—but beautiful—winter season,” says Anthony OKS of the climate that led to his city’s nicknames “Winterpeg.” That being said, Anthony OKS says directors Jadyn Klassen and Jesse de Rocquigny aptly captured “the essence of the richness and warmth our city exudes—a side of Winnipeg that usually isn’t promoted or thought of much. Winnipeggers experience that same rich warmth at our many local shows, or the many releases from our artists.” All that should surprise viewers from other locales that soak up the clip’s invitingly balmy backdrops.

Such sunny visuals suit the song, says Anthony OKS, because its lyrics delve into “those special moments that you share with someone close to you. We wanted to capture that, the idea of two people that genuinely enjoy each other’s company and vibe.” Prime example: the flower bed scenes that will all but exude fresh fragrances from your screen, while also harkening back to the EP’s theme “about growth, and the beauty of blooming as a person,” says the rapper.

And what about the whip? Anthony OKS laughs before quickly admitting that yes, “cars in rap videos usually come off a bit different, right?” in comparison to his understated, timeless turn behind the muscle car’s wheel. “That was actually my first time driving a classic car! I used to collect Hot Wheels as a kid, and actually still have those toy cars in their original packaging, so it was a bit of a childhood dream for me,” he says. The rapper channeled the energy of some of his favorite automotive inclined counterparts like Big K.R.I.T and Curren$y during the cruise, all the while “really enjoying myself, while trying to be as careful as possible while taking turns in this rental!”

You can watch the video above, and stream his EP In the Garden below.