Afro-futurist artist and director Gianni Lee brings dancehall into the next century with a cutting edge AI-assisted lyric video for GRAMMY®-winning, multi-platinum artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Skip Marley’s “Close (Remix featuring Ding Dong and Masicka),” out now via Tuff Gong International/Def Jam Recordings. The brand new visuals premiered today on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel, taking viewers on a wild ride through a post-apocalyptic metropolis where humanoid dance crews, footballers, and bikers rule the streets to the soundtrack of a Caribbean beat.
“For the Skip Marley visual, I used AI in an intentionally artistic way—breaking down live-action footage, screen grabs, and found video to create a mosaic of animated, moving images,” revealed Lee about the process. The Philly native, who has previously collaborated with major entities like Jordan Brand, Adidas, and New York City Football Club, went on to add, “the foundation of the video was rooted in real, tangible visuals that I shot or sourced, then processed frame-by-frame through advanced AI prompts to build something new yet deeply connected to the original footage. It wasn’t about using AI for the sake of trend or convenience. Every shot was selected with care, and the process was guided by a strong visual concept. I storyboarded the treatment like I would any traditional film, but instead of stopping at raw footage, I layered it with artistic manipulation. The goal was to keep the viewer visually stimulated, while also creating something cohesive that spoke to the emotion of the music.”
Known for his signature use of Afro-futurist symbolism and bold, post- apocalyptic imagery, Lee explores Black identity through a futuristic lens, crafting alternate realities that challenge societal norms and elevate cultural narratives. For the “Close” remix, Lee explained, “this project was about pushing what’s possible with new tools while staying grounded in narrative and intention. I treated AI not just as a generator, but as a collaborator—one that responds to vision, direction, and detail. The final result feels more like a moving painting than a conventional video, and I think it reflects the soul and power behind the track.”Skip Marley
feat.
Ding Dong
&
Masicka
“CLOSE”
REMIXMain
Version AvailableWATCH THE
AI LYRIC VIDEO |
