I was fortunate enough to have grown up during the late 80’s and early 90’s during the golden age of Hip Hop. In those days, Hip Hop carried more of a positive message and was an art form driven by different arrangements of beats. Since then it’s become a different monster; one obsessed by material possession, greed and a multitude of violence. Needless to say, I was not thrilled when asked by Warner Music to create a music video for Zaturno Y Tapia Rabia, a Chilean Hip Hop group.

To my surprise the single was similar to what I grew up listening to back in the 90’s. The social message was clearly expressed in lyrics that spoke out against poverty, child exploitation and the world’s indifference towards the poor. I listened to the song over and over breaking down the structure of the song’s core concept and drawing out what would make the strongest visual elements, while keeping in mind the budget allocated to production by Warner.

The song’s message was multi-layered: (1) Kids in Santiago were hooked on pasta base, which is the by-product that is made during the process of manufacturing cocaine, (2) the plight of under age prostitution of young girls in Valparaiso, (3) the streets of Santiago and (4) a party scene. I arrived in La Granja, one of the worst neighborhoods in the greater Santiago metropolitan area.

I was accompanied by Zaturno and his crew without them it would have been impossible for me to shoot anything in the neighborhood. Being of Chilean descent I had seen most of the city but this was a side of Santiago I had never experienced. To be honest, it was the first time I felt my senses went on full alert. The people in the streets were casually holding machetes, others smoking pot and drinking beers by open fires in metal containers. People in the streets would instantly size you up with just a look and cops in armored vehicles cruised up the streets occasionally.

We met a few of the kids who were hooked on pasta base. They shared their tragic stories with me while I bought them some food and drinks and followed them through their daily routine to nowhere. I felt as though I was doing more of a documentary than a music video. For the first time I found myself being very grateful for what I had in my life and simultaneously powerless in doing anything to help these kids out.