Acclaimed music video director Lenny Bass has won much of his praise by holding a mirror up to the world around him – while at the same time reserving his right as an artist to enhance that world with visual metaphors, color, and texture.
Missy Galinida, DNA’s Executive Director of Music Videos says, “Lenny Bass brings a refreshing sensibility and tremendous understanding of how streetwise influences have reshaped the video landscape.” This unique perspective has confirmed his preeminence and importance among hip-hop, rap, and R&B music video directors.
As Bass puts it, “I was born in Staten Island, grew up on the kind of block where hip hop was bursting from the seams and you couldn’t help but have a do-it-yourself kind of attitude about everything. That meant honing your creative and survival skills, and thinking out of the box from the start.”
His self-driven motivation landed him at New York’s F.I.T., where he was originally lured into the film and video worlds. One of his first tastes of hands-on-filmmaking was working in the production offices of one of the premier groundbreaking female, African American directors, Millicent Shelton. Shortly after that he found himself on the road with the influential rap group, De La Soul.
His experience with De La Soul led him to direct a video for the new artist Blacksmith, as well as a couple of clips for their protégé DV Alias Khryst. From there Bass’ career exploded into the mainstream, including clips for Little T & One Track Mike, Fantasia, E- 40, Nappy Roots, Boyz ‘N Da Hood, and Youngbloodz among many others. His video for Craig David’s Walking Away was nominated for 2002 MTV Video Award.
Most recently he has directed videos for Eamon’s Bring Him Home and Leela James’s Good Times.
Despite the nature of the music – be it playful, sexy, or thought provoking – Bass can be counted on to deliver visually alluring stories that are as much an evolution of his own style as the world around him.
Lenny Bass lives in New York.