TUTT JONES - THE COMPLETE CAMPAIGN
2023/4 Campaign by Tutt Jones and Daffy London
Direction / Branding / Art / VFX by Daffy London
spotify - apple - vevo - visualisers - tuttjones.com
Tutt Jones, born Tavon'te Craft hailing from New Jersey, is a rap artist on the rise. His music style is a reflection of Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, Trick Daddy, Andre 3000 and his experience growing up on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, as well as his own struggles with gang violence, poverty, and the ever-changing social landscape of the LGBTQIA community.
We met via a friend over five years ago on Facebook. I loved his style, lyrics, music, movement and vision for the future, With me? Whats not to love! Since then we've worked in close proximity and collaborated in the most creative way to build a campaign to launch him in 2024.
We are rolling out our biggest album campaign yet. MANIC EPISODE.
Comprising of:
- branding
- press
- artwork
- album/single releases on all platforms
- visualisers
- music videos
This is a complete chronological history of our journey, for the record.
...for the Grammy.
1. LOGO / BRAND
We started out by forming a logo based on a flipped 'eye of pa'. Then fused letters together to form his name. And for pattern, a monogram consisting of a hieroglyphic strips with a repeated TUTT texture.
2. DL?
DL? Was our first collaboration born from a real experience whilst living in Venice, California, featuring an actual crazy DL experience. From this I recognised a lot about 'Down Low' mentality, and how (typically) men use their phones with 'straight' imagery to shield them from truth, whilst getting their junk did.
We thought it would be powerful to express the story coming from two creatives artists with very different backgrounds and upbringings. It was shot in our back garage where Tutt ended up living. We then expanded on this wanting to push - in a fun way - the tactic of DL guys being able to communicate their secret in the street via a code. i.e. t-shirts saying
DL? BLINK TWICE. For the video, it's two coughs to open pandora's box..
DL? - music video
DL? - The Banned Edit
DL? Trailer
3. PROJECT PRINCE - ALBUM COVER
The album PROJECT PRINCE was written long before I met Tutt Jones. At the time he mostly shared his creaions on SOUNDCLOUD. With a soft launch in mind - populating him online - He chose this image of him as a child. To me it places the album in history, something humble, historic yet iconic.
4. DEBONARE LAFLARE
We then concieved of an idea of Tutt Jones leaving behind the pain and distructive situation of New Jersey, and we made an actomatic for a video to his belter DEBONARE LAFLARE. Broken promises of help from a VFX studio left the project in a holding pattern, and it sadly never got made. One day we should make it. I think now it could be produced with the help of A.I.
5. WAS HANIN'?
We attached wheels to the base of a hammock and hit Venice Beach to shoot this sunny delight.
6. MO'DELLO > FEEL SOMETHING
We hosted a crazy party in our then established hotspot, the garage, which we named 'the Mo'dello' (Next to the iconic 'mordello' building on Westminster Avenue, Venice). We turned the images from the night into a lyric video for FEEL SOMETHING. It was that night we met a chap called HOUSTON.
FEEL SOMETHING TRAILER
7. RESORT BOOTCAMP
The following day Houston brought along his friend $HVRK. They make up the CITYGUYZ And we started to manifest a rap RESORT BOOTCAMP.
8. THE HOUSE OF JONES
The House of Jones has taking a back seat whilst focussing on launching, but will become a big part of the ballroom scene, once Tutt becomes a familiar name in the world.
9. CHARMED - LYRIC VIDEO
After a serious altercation at the apartment, Tutt and our new friends, plus newby BRYANT 'BPM' MILLS escaped to an airbnb, a large property replete with hot tub. Houston and $hvrk gave us an impromtu dance performace.
10. WHY TUTT JONES?
After we got kicked out of the airbnb and escorted off the property, no joke, we all checked into The Erwin, Venice. And Bryant Mills conducted this interview, exploring Tutts dreams, his goals and the meaning behind the name.
11. 3 KINGZ
With some negative energy loitering the vibe, Tutt and I decided to shake things up and make a music video, from our balcony overlooking Venice Beach. The guys worked on lyrics, recorded it and we shot a flip cut style video within 3 days.
12. MALIBUS MOST WANTED
From Venice we moved to Malibu, right next to the Getty Villa. We quietly shot from the hip an unofficial video in the Villa, and made it feel as if it were a cheeky heist. I play BOB the security guard, and JUSTIN WRIGHT plays the security manager. VFX entered the equation, and from that we started setting our sights higher.
13. MALIBU'S MOST FUCKING WANTED
I cant express how much of a creative and gut laughing hoot this job was to make. We hope it comes across in this weird BTS I'm developing.
14. DIGITAL BODY SCAN
Whilst in New York, Tutt got a complete body scan. (Fully nude!) It's something that we’ve used tirelessly in our productions since.
15. TUTT JONES 3D
This spurned on the need to convert logos and monograms into 3D. At which point the visual aspect to the campaign exploded.
16. TUTT JONES CROWN
The crown was born out of an idea for a 3 KINGZ single cover. It was very basic to start. doodled crowns and stills from the shoot. However realising that we'd set the bar higher, and we now had to keep up consistent high level work. The hope is to get it fabricated. It's now being used in the MANIC EPISODE music video, and for the single art for Tutts upcoming '13 - The Mixtape'
17. TUTT.0 (in development)
We the started developing a new video idea, based around the theme of the seemingly formulaic system of manufacturing an artist. TUTT.0 would be a robot in the vein of EX MACHINA who gains sentience, kicks off and takes over the factory. With fierceness.
18. NSFW FILM FESTIVAL
We were proud that DL? BY TUTT JONES got screened as the finalé at Akbar in Silverlake as part of PLANET QUEERS film festival NSFW. For the show, we printed flyers for the guests and made t-shirts to give out. Soon available from www.tuttjones.com/store
19. PLANET QUEER LIVE SHOW
Having formed musical and friendship allinaces with with Zeo, Dakar and KO KELLY, they accompanied Tutt who performed 3 songs at PLANET QUEER and brought the house down. You can see the full evening in early early edit of MANIC EPISODES, discussed below. Our flyer for the event was our first example of using the digital Tutt scan.
20. TUTTJONES.COM
With so much in place we launched TUTTJONES.COM Ready for the big MANIC EPISODE push.
21. UNDERWORLD MAGAZINE
Perverse Cowboy is the creator of UNDERWORLD MAGAZINE, and they featured Tutt Jones in a 17 page spread.
FULL SPREAD HERE
22. MANIC EPISODE CAMPAIGN /
ALBUM COVER
This is our most adventurous project to date. As well as visualisers per track Tutt wanted to really push things for a monster music video. This design is packed full of message. Personal things that mean a great deal. And was the impetus to the creation of the main video. The pink TV becomes a central motif for the full campaign.
For the launch video we hijacked THE FAST SHOW and stole the timings for their amazing opening titles.
23. MANIC EPISODE - SINGLE COVER
This single version has a manic side and a calm side. Visualising the mental state we aspire to.
24. AVAILABLE ON ALL PLATFORMS
With this artwork established we've pushed consistency throughout Tutt's online presence. Fully exposed on all platforms.
YOUTUBE
25. $TA$HPOT - SINGLE COVER
For STASHPOT we designed an entire currency. The single cover features a 3d coin, with three TUTT faces protuding from it. This goes further in the $ta$hpot visualiser (below) where you see multiple variations of coins on a theme.
The planetary coins denote the alignment of the solar system at the time of Tutts birth.
26. THE GAY SEX - SINGLE COVER
Tutt wishes to develop this into a video concept in which he bathes naked amongst writhing bodies in an infinite grecian milk bath.
27. MANIC EPISODE VISUALISERS
For every track we made a VISUALISER all contained on YouTube within a continuous playlist. The TVs tie them all together for consistency.
FULL YOUTUBE PLAY LIST HERE
28. MANIC EPISODE - THE MUSIC VIDEO
Back in early 2023 Tutt spoke to me of a vision. A music video created as a way for him to illustrate via music and image what he suffers daily in his world, his place of manic episodes.
The film is intended as a pseudo VR experience. Nonsensical front and back camera angles can be viewed in the hero 2d version side by side in fish eye form. Further, this can be witnessed on phones in YouTube 360.
Impatient 9:16 phone freaks can watch the fisheyes stacked top and bottom in a condensed form. The film is loaded with VFX from MAGA dinosaurs and a Jeff Koons style ballon dog to voguing drink cans.
A.I. had played an integral role into every part of this video. Most of it hidden, but here we're embracing 2023 and the AI influx by adopting a selective generative fill effect to bridge the gap between the cropped fish eye and the top/bottom of frame.
The video is full of references. Much like Channel 4's SPACED but in condensed form.
I really fought myself on this job. I fought the part of me that wanted to sabotage the ‘omg we could even do that’. We dove in and we did EVERYTHING we wanted to (right Tutt?). I recognized the opportunity to do something special, given the magnitude and potential of the artist, and the message he brings.
Its been liberating. No clients, no money, no expectation. BIG return. Not financially, but spiritually. VFX industry stole my love of the craft. They NDA’d it. Behind close doors where abuse is rife, imagination is stolen and creativity is raped. This was pure free flow thought process.
Tutt and I have been in a heavenly slipstream trance throughout its inception.
28b. MANIC EPISODE - THE STORY
29. PRE RELEASE VIDEO TREASURE HUNT
Unscramble our code and see the video above NOW.
As a fun way to build anticipation, you can get a sneak peak of the video leading up to its release February 4 2024.
The password is hidden amongst the 3x3 @tuttjones instagram wall. Each square has letters contained within, anagramed around give you the jumbled - pro fluid - password.
30. MANIC EPISODE - VIDEO COVER
In the video Tutt is rudely woken from a dream by his alarm clock. A repurposed Tutankhamun shaped sculpture purchased for a few dollars at Ross. I wanted to add the clock to the dream, but convert the design to reflect Tutts features. The design process was very organic and you can see Tutts reaction in the BTS video below, and then us discussing that it should quite clearly represent the video as the video art.
31. MANIC EPISODES
We managed to film quite a bit of BTS. The entire process (lasting one year) was documented by Zeo, Dakar and K.O. Kelly. A kind of documentary style where one really gets to know Tutt and the pleasure/pain behind the shoot, the joy, the laughs and the sweat. We’re cutting these into MANIC EPISODES and the first draft of the episode PLANET QUEER is available to view below.
32. MANIC SESSIONS
I’ve been very vigilant in recording my digital sessions, animating in 3d, compositing and editing in After Effects. And in some cases talking through my decision making process. The first is available to see below where I animate PTEROSAURS attacking Tutt’s dream within a dream, and the barbeque.
33. DR DARKTURN PHOTO SHOOT
Along for the ride was Erica Arroyo. aka Dr Darkturn. The photos she took of Tutt and K.O. Kelly are nothing short of mindblowing. We’re extremely greatful to her and all of our collaborators.
34. TAROT DECK
This deck was born out of obsession for tarot, for both of us. but without having the resource of something beautiful and modern to use. In the music video ‘manic episode’ he wanted to honor beyonce and ‘carmen: a hip hopera’ and homaged a shot featuring the death card. The collection kinda grew quickly from there with teamwork from various a.i. solutions. Truly amazing what can be done. But truly work we can call our own, with clear nods to well known decks. Pooling the best from the tarot world we know and love, these cards went through a multi-level process using paint, digital and state of the art a.i. techniques. The video below shows the first print run. 2 decks that arrived Jan 2 2024 for inspection and further tweaking.
35. MERCHANDISE
The tarot deck will be available online early next year. As well as this
we’ll be touting tshirts, tote bags. A bespoke necklace from the video
made by Berwick Upon Tweeds SMASH AND CRACK. Outfits will be auctioned of to raise capital to keep the project afloat.
36a. 13 - SINGLE COVER
A mixtape is in development, and will be released as 15-20 songs throughout next year. The cover image is a culmination of the iconography and digital work achieved so far.
36b. 13 - SINGLE COVER
Edit of Tutt Jones' top take of his Mixtape release 'EVERYBODY'
36c. 13 - BTS by Kiing
37. Aiii
I'm looking into the idea of programming an AI brain much like that of a chatGPT. But instead of asking a computer, you ask Tutt. We treat AI so badly, at our peril. Its coming, its coming quickly, and its coming haaaard. So whilst we still have the chance to inject fun, wokeness, and sincerity into the brains in which we trust, we should be looking at having online companions such as this gifted man.
38. TUTT JONES LIVE
The ultimate vision is to get him on sell out tours using state of the art technology to bring to his upcoing fans a show to remem
39. TUTT'S 'TECH NOIR' W. GIFBOX.TV
We're in development of a touring night of visuals, performance, ballroom, love and debauchery.
40. A.R. FILTERS
To compliment the campaigns MANIC EPISODE, 13 and to promote the TUTT JONES TAROT DECK I've been designing I.G. and FACEBOOK filters using AR SPARK.
TUTT JONES TAROT DECK - INSTAGRAM - FACEBOOK
13 MIXTAPE #01 - INSTAGRAM - FACEBOOK
BTS!
41. BLACK GAY TABLE TALK - S1 E3
Tapping into Talent - Kenan C.G. meets Tutt Jones
"We're thrilled to present our latest episode featuring the rising rap artist, Tutt Jones. Tutt shared with us about his new EP “Manic Episode” and provided a glimpse into his life. The interview was both exhilarating and enlightening, touching on subjects ranging from mental health, the music industry, and risky behavior. Make sure not to miss this episode!
Introducing Tutt, a Rapper on the Rise from New Jersey. Tutt grew up near the beaches of the Jersey Shore, and his music style is a reflection of his experience, drawing inspiration from Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, Trick Daddy, Andre 3000, and other artists. Unapologetic, Raw and fully representing authenticity in his creative approach, he’s set to soar!
We talked about Tutt's personal struggles with violence, poverty, and the ever-changing social landscape of the LGBTQIA community. Despite these challenges, the rapper remains optimistic and shares his vision of giving back to children who have had similar experiences and pushing change in the perceptions of mental health. As Kenan said during the show, “that's the substance of legends”!
So grab your drink, share this episode, and keep an eye out for Tutt Jones - he's coming in hot!"
42. TUTT.TV
May sees the pre-launch of TUTT.TV. Which pulls all of this campaign together.
CALLING ALL COLLABORATORS
If you want to be part of whats next please get in touch.