Watch: Joey Bada$$ - Paper Trails

"They say money is the root of all evil, I see money as the route of all people". These are wise words coming from a 20-year-old kid out of Brooklyn, New York. When Jo-Vaughan Scott released his very first studio album B4 DA $$ in August of last year, the rap world went mad. Easily one of the biggest tunes from this stellar LP is Paper Trails. Legendary DJ Premier is responsible for the track's production, which speaks volumes for how big this youth is getting.

It’s been a long time coming but Joey Bada$$ and his Pro Era crew finally dropped the official music video to accompany the single and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The brilliant mind behind the clip is New Zealand-born Tom Gould, whose services were also required by none other than Action Bronson for his action-packed Easy Rider video:

The Paper Trails video is shot entirely in black and white giving his money struggles message some added grit. Throughout the film clip Gould interchanges stunning shots of Joey spitting verses in a derelict warehouse with vignettes of a younger him hustling to stay afloat. As it all winds up, we get some warmth with a lovely shot of him embracing his mother. The clip perfectly encapsulates the harsh world in which Bada$$ grew up and boy look at him now. If this kid isn’t remembered as one of the most talented rappers in the last 10 years, something is certainly wrong:

Follow Joey Bada$$: FACEBOOK / TWITTER