The mighty 80 Empire is back with their latest video BUSINESS from their forthcoming album "Intermission".
BUSINESS by the multitalented Italian, Canadian, brother duo 80 Empire is more than a music video, it's a short film set in the iconic neighborhoods of Brooklyn New York. Jennifer Esposito, actress and director echoed this sentiment after watching the piece of cinematic cool, "It's so authentic NY!!!!! Love it. Really great!!!"
"Dope flow.. East-coast vibes with the timbs on the beach. Made men shit!" said Eminem's Shady Records alum KXNG CROOKED of the visuals and song.
One of the things that makes this music video incredibly honest and authentic is 80 Empire's relationship with Robert Funaro whom the boys affectionately call "Bobby 300". You will often see the 3 gentlemen holding up 3 fingers throughout the music video," 300 is something Bobby came up with and it just stuck, it's like a code amongst brothers and an understanding of mutual respect within that brotherhood," Adrian proudly declares! Business features actor Robert Funaro and actress Cristina Donadio of Napoli Italy. Both stars played major roles on arguably the most quintessential Mafia tv series in the history of television, The Sopranos and Gomorrah.
"It's pretty historical for us to have both of these insanely, talented actors from two of the Biggest mob shows in our production here at Gladiator Records, actually surreal!" acknowledges brother Lucas.
Lucas and Adrian aka 80 Empire came down to New York from their headquarters in Niagara on the lake, also known as Nappa Valley of the North, surrounded by vineyards and historic Fort George, nestled on the Niagara river just minutes away from Niagara Falls, the brothers really wanted to go back to the city they LOVE, New York and specifically Brooklyn to fully capture the entire messaging behind Business.
80 Empire were on a mission just like Jake and Elwood Blues, "The Blues Brothers," and couldn't fulfill this destiny without the assistance of influencer and PR friend Monica German-Prestia known online as Stefani Style and long time friend and collaborator, director and screenwriter Fatty Soprano. Monica, a native of Bensonhurst Brooklyn really understood 80 Empire's vision, along with the talented eye of Director Fatty Soprano, connecting the dots bringing in other Brooklynites such as Gio of Luigi's Pizzeria ( as seen on the Food network, and Adam Sandler's Big Daddy), Jewelry and Legendary Graffiti artist Orlando Torres of Orlando Torres Designs, and Peter Santopietro of the street certified and respected brand SNKRHEAD to create a truly exceptional piece of visual art, the perfect accompaniment to an already cool song.
The song BTW was featured on Apple Music's curated playlist BARS and feature on Shade 45 and Hip-Hop Nation's program director Ron Mills prominent SPOTIFY playlist, 80 being along side the likes of J.Cole, Pusha T, and Kendrick Lamar. The song was released on the duo's indie label Gladiator Records and distributed by SoulSpazm earlier in May of 2022.
No one could possibly execute a performance as charismatic and electrifying as 80 Empire without a traditional meal. The night before, the Empire and Fatty ate an authentic, Italian American meal cooked and prepared by Robert himself, a meal truly fit for an empire. You could smell the most nostalgic aroma emanating from the windows of Bobby's home in Staten Island. Sunday sauce simmering and the familiar smell of braciole, ricotta cheese, fresh italian bred and a glorious Sunday gravy camouflaging the rigatoni.
"One of the best meals we've ever ate, meatballs melted in your mouth," brothers both hypnotically cry! Did this meal give the Empire that extra push? Perhaps, however we do know it helped in creating the magic that happened within the next 48 hours of filming.
80 Empire display their vast musical abilities by starting the video with their version of Gaetano Donizetti's Furtiva Lagrima. Adrian sang the operatic piece while brother Lucas played his arrangement on piano. The Empire proud of their Italian heritage, and lovers of Opera thanks to their parents, wanted to share their love of their culture by setting the atmosphere in the first scene of the video. The nearly 200 year old piece of music sang by Opera icons like Enrico Carruso and Luciano Pavarotti was the perfect musical bridge to intertwine all of these different worlds together.
Shortly after the video morphs into a confident hip-hop performance by the Empire. Robert sips an espresso, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette with Luigi's in the backdrop, everything just perfectly fit together making the most elaborate video. In between takes Robert affectionately recounted his time with Jimmy Gandolfini (Tony Soprano) on the set of The Sopranos and their time together in Europe." Jim brought us together," said Bobby in between filming the opening scene. The day ended with an incredible story by Gio of Luigi's, talking about his father coming from Calabria and still eating with the same cutlery he came to this country with. It was this story by Gio of struggle and triumph that really encapsulated the true meaning of BUSINESS. It's more than a boastful hip-hop song riddled in bars and drenched in big beats, underneath it all BUSINESS is a song about overcoming obstacles while remaining grounded, and nothing is more grounding than an Italian family to always put you in your place.
Cristina mentions this in her end soliloquy, letting the boys know in Italian they are old enough to take care of their affairs but if they screw up Aunty will be there to smack them out! At the end of all of the stories and side walk pizza eating, to performances at Brooklyn's department of sanitation and Brighton Beach, 80 Empire really show that they talk the talk and walk the walk and do mean Business and remind people "like Gandolfini everyone wanna say they a friend of ours full of stuffing like a tortellini".
Digital Streaming Platforms for #Business
https://soulspazm.ffm.to/business
Song written, produced, and performed by 80 Empire
Record label: Gladiator Records
Distribution: SoulSpazm
Management: Wil VanZyl at Novamusic
Directed and edited by Fatty Soprano
Executive produced by Stefani Style and Gladiator Records
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