Cover Photo by Kryptnn | Written by Courtney Noe
Portland’s own KahlilKhalil recently dropped the music video to “Hustle Vision”, the title track off of his debut EP which contains all 3 songs featured on February’s soundtrack update of NBA 2K22.
Born in Sellwood on 2/22/96 and also known artistically by the name “K2,” having 1, let alone all 3, submitted songs placed in NBA 2K22 is its own harmonious synchronicity. In the words of Kahlil, “if that ain’t God speed, I don’t know what is”.
The “Hustle Vision” video is the story of a talented young hooper, Nick, who is driven by passion, but torn and distracted from his true callings by the outside surroundings of his reality. The story, narrated by Kahlil, provides glimpses into various elements of Nick’s life, from the dedication and time spent on the court and working his craft, to the missteps and struggles that inevitably put him in harm’s way, to finding his way back to his passion, and ultimately finding focus and peace.
The video is a loose representation of Kahlil’s youth, but instead of having music as the focus and calling, it is reflected in the life of a young basketball player, played by Nick Cross, a 15 year old rising star in his own right, out of Los Angeles. Kahlil Khalil has been in LA working as a recording engineer for Crosby Studios & YSL/300 and collaborating and producing music with other artists (including PDX talents Wavy Josef, Kadren and DeuceTrey who also appear in the “Hustle Vision” video) and chose to shoot the video there in LA.
“The creation of this video was such a fun experience. When I found out my songs were going to be featured on NBA 2K22, I decided at least one track needed a music video. I called up my homeboy, Bobby, who had recently become intrigued with videography. Bobby said he was game to give filming a go, but disclosed it would be his first time ever shooting a full music video on his own. I’m big on community and collaboration; I didn’t care about Bobby’s “lack” of experience, I cared about his heart and passion for the vision. We wrote a full script and then called all the local youth basketball leagues and found Nick Cross to star alongside me. It was a great fit. We scouted locations and made the whole thing happen with only a few hundred dollars! The video is exactly what Hustle Vision represents – teamwork and limitlessness!”
The music video for “Hustle Vision” was released at 10:00 am on February 22nd, 2022.
Check it out it below and be sure to follow KhalilKhalil for more.