Jean Grae Is A 32-Bit International Assassin In Quelle Chris-Designed Arcade Game Music Video

Jean Grae is known as a rapper, comedian, writer, and more – but now, after the release of “Zero” from her joint LP with Quelle Chris (‘Everything’s Fine’, out March 30/Mello Music Group), we can add “international assassin” to that list.

Watch it in a Wired premiere.

And on YouTube.

“’Zero” is a 7-minute sprint through multiple game genres…a totally nostalgic head trip set to Quelle’s chiptune-esque beat and Grae’s Rachmaninoff-referencing raps.” - Wired

Quelle Chris designed and animated the video himself, a loving and painstaking recreation of the sonic and visual aesthetic of early 1990s video games. “Zero” follows Jean’s assassin character Zero as she tracks down an evil CEO known as Mad Red, leaving a bloody path of destruction in her wake. Supporting characters include Lt. Quelle of the Detroit Revolt Sector; Littles, a filthy-mouthed getaway driver (who happens to be a cat); and Michael Tolle, the head of Mello Music Group, as a heroic liquor store owner. The game is soundtracked by take-no-prisoners lyrics over a thumping Quelle beat, intercut by 8-bit recreations of the melodies from the track as well.

“I wanted watchers to have a ‘phantom joystick’ moment,” says Quelle. “I watched hours and hours and hours of game playthroughs and speedruns to get the authenticity and pace of the video just right. Jean has always had her assassin story running through all of her albums so I decided to go with that as a base and squeeze in as many references to my favorite type of games as I could…I plan on having at least three fully playable levels done by the end of 2018.”

“Zero” is the third song to be released from ‘Everything’s Fine,’ the first full-length collaborative album for longtime creative partners Jean Grae and Quelle Chris. Featuring special guests like Michael Che, Nick Offerman, John Hodgman, Anna Wise, Hannibal Buress and more, ‘Everything’s Fine’ is a deft work of satire and abstractionism that interrogates our society’s 21st century ennui.

Watch the first video “Gold, Purple, Orange” here, in which Jean, Quelle, Eric Andre, Hannibal Buress, and more make appearances at an awkward 1980s glamor photo shoot.

TRACK LIST FOR ‘EVERYTHING’S FINE’

1. Everything’s Fine
2. My Contribution To This Scam
3. OhSh (feat. Hannibal Buress)
4. House Call (feat. Big Tone, Anna Wise, Johnathan Hoard)
5. Don’t Worry It’s Fine (feat. John Hodgman, Michael Che)
6. Gold, Purple, Orange (feat. Dane Orr)
7. Peacock (feat. Dane Orr)
8. Doing Bettar Than Ever (feat. Ash “Dap” Kondabalu)
9. The Smoking Man (feat. Denmark Vessey)
10. Breakfast Of Champs
11. Scoop Of Dirt (feat. Your Old Droog)
12. Zero
13. Everything’s Still Fine (feat. Nick Offerman)
14. Waiting For The Moon (feat. Mosel, Anna Wise)
15. River (feat. Melanie Charles, Paul Bae Bro Wilson)

Pre-order ‘Everything’s Fine’ here:

iTunes

Bandcamp

Vinyl