Shia LaBeouf Directing Video for Cage's Lead Single

Employee · Post by **Employee** » Fri May 08, 2009 4:58 pm

LA Weekly wrote:The Actor Becomes a Director: With Shia LaBeouf and Chris גCageג Palko, Making the "I Never Knew You" Video
"This shit is better than riding unicorns"
By Erin Broadley
Published on May 06, 2009 at 6:31pm

Itגs an average Saturday in downtown Los Angeles: The streets are clogged with one-way traffic. Shopkeepers sweep their storefronts and beckon passersby with deals on cheap gold watches and wholesale denim. Pedestrians zigzag across the sidewalks to avoid the gaze of hustlers, the bark of street-corner evangelists and the stop-go swarm of bargain shoppers. Past the historic core and into the industrial district, a crowd of guys in hoodies and women in skin-tight dresses and even skinnier jeans has been waiting to get into an unmarked club in an alleyway off Seventh and Alameda for more than an hour. Impatience ripples through the line; forget that itגs 4 in the afternoon ג they really want to get into this club.

Some of the more aggressive women try pushing their way to the front of the line, making desperate calls on their cell phones as they cram against the metal barricade, trying to get the attention of the completely unimpressed bouncer guarding the entrance. Their maneuvers are interrupted as a black Town Car pulls up to the entrance. The car doors open and slam shut as Chris גCageג Palko, Shia LaBeouf and F. Sean Martin are hurried through the mob and toward the club entrance. Heads turn, jaws drop, the VIPs are quickly ushered inside and the door closes behind the crowd.

גCut!ג a man shouts. גBack to one! This time I donגt want anyone on their cell phones.ג

The crowd disperses, wardrobe and set decorators quickly move in, and Cage, LaBeouf and Martin stumble out of the building, laughing.

Fliers and newspapers stenciled with Weathermen logos plaster the dingy, brown-stained exterior of the makeshift club, and the intoxicating scent of spray paint and glue hangs thick in the afternoon air. The alleyway borders the American Apparel warehouse parking lot and is the second location on day one of the גI Never Knew Youג music-video shoot, the first single off rapper Cageגs upcoming album, Depart From Me, and the directorial debut for actor LaBeouf.

On set is a whoגs who of Cardboard City ג a collective of artists, actors and musicians, including some of hip-hop label Definitive Juxגs finest. Besides Cage and LaBeouf, there are El-P, Aesop Rock, Yak Ballz, Chauncey, F. Sean Martin and Alex Pardee, who have all turned out to support their friends, and all of whom have cameos in the video. Inside jokes run high among the tight-knit group. Aesop glances up at the American Apparel building, laughing that he only made the trek down from San Francisco for free underwear.

Cage stands, hands in pockets, intently examining the scene on the playback monitor with LaBeouf, while the videoגs other lead actors, Scarlett Kapella and Dan Byrd, relax in a trailer.

Off camera, I stand with Def Jux label head El-P, who shares his opinion of Cageגs video concept: גItגs a loneliness motif ... someone projecting beauty and life-saving attributes onto a girl that he doesnגt know. He follows her as though sheגs headed somewhere thatגs better than his life. Thatגs kind of what the song is about, the idea that there is some sort of saving grace in a stranger, the twisted perspective of thinking that someone you donגt even know was put there as destiny for you, to save you and draw you out of your miserable life. Cage is an observer to the story.ג

Back at the monitor, LaBeouf takes off his baseball hat, flips it with the hand thatגs not in a cast (the result of extensive hand surgery the actor has undergone since his July 2008 car accident), and jogs over to hug his mother, who has arrived on set.

גThe whole [narrative] is being imagined as Iגm performing in the club, so this is all in my head,ג Cage explains. גThe idea of the song is youגre sitting on a curb, youגre bummed out and suddenly the girl of your dreams walks around the corner and completely changes your life. Youגre so taken by this woman, you just start following her. Itגs obsession.ג

Cage says that there were a lot of potential singles on the record, but they went with גthe more powerful song rather than the catchiest one. Itגs interesting to throw an emotional curve ball at everyone. Thereגs a really sad vibe, and thereגs also a really angry vibe.ג

In person, Cage is reserved, shy even, though there is a flicker of madness behind his eyes, a wisdom acquired from years spent overcoming physical abuse, drug use and the psychological turmoil that inevitably followed, chillingly explored in his previous two albums, Movies for the Blind and Hellגs Winter.

גWhen Iגm writing a song I go into a weird depression cocoon, and when I come out Iגm not a beautiful butterfly; I come out a fucked-up, tattered moth,ג he continues, half-smiling. גBut I desperately want to not feel this way, so I put it all out there. I want to play shows. I want to throw tantrums onstage and just let it all out, hence the title of the album, Depart From Me.ג

I mention how Pitchfork Media leaked גI Never Knew Youג in February, ahead of its scheduled release. Cage pauses and smirks, גSaboteurs. Whenever something like that happens, I think sabotage.ג He holds my gaze, squinting against the sun. Trust is important with Cage, and having his closest collaborators as his closest friends certainly helps. He explains how LaBeouf came to direct this video, the beginning of a bigger partnership that will result in a feature film about Cageגs life, starring the young actor.

גWhen Iגm collaborating with someone, thereגs a lot of trust involved. [Itגs that way] with Shia.... The thing with Shia started off business, and then a friendship developed from it. He followed me around on tour with a camera in 2005, which is interesting because heגd never be able to do that again now, you know? He filmed a documentary on me to get the movie going, to get his team behind what he was trying to do and educate them on the story.ג

Cage recalls how LaBeouf would often wake him from a dead sleep to further his character study and gather background information for the upcoming biopic. גIגd get phone calls at 4 in the morning and Shia would be, like, גDid I wake you up?ג Iגd say, גOh, yeah, but itגs cool,ג and heגd go, גAll right, tell me about your dad,ג the things people usually donגt talk about. With me and Shia becoming closer ... I took my guard down. Anything he wanted to know, I went there.ג

LaBeouf showed his Cardboard City colors in 2007 when he threw up the crewגs CC hand sign during his first Saturday Night Live hosting gig. Seemingly overnight, everyone wanted to know more about Cage and LaBeoufגs friendship and the status of the biopic.

At first glance, LaBeouf and Cage seem unlikely friends ג the New Yorkגbased indie rapper and the Echo Parkגraised child actor turned Hollywood star and tabloid target. The trust factor Cage emphasizes is also important for LaBeouf, and there is a protectiveness between them that reveals two friends who both know what it is like to live under media scrutiny.

גSo,ג LaBeouf says to me when we meet at the video wrap party at West Hollywoodגs Bar Lubitsch, גare you going to be good to my boy?ג

I attempt to properly introduce myself before he cuts me off.

גI know who you are,ג he says all matter-of-fact as we sit over cocktails on the barגs smoking patio, overgrown with ivy.

With the גI Never Knew Youג shoot finished, I ask LaBeouf how heגs feeling. Suddenly, the new directorגs wildcard enthusiasm for his venture with Cage emerges.

גIגm 22 and Iגm directing my favorite rapperגs music video,ג LaBeouf says excitedly. גThis shit is better than riding unicorns.ג

The video for גI Never Knew Youג premieres May 18 on MTV2. Depart From Me will be released on July 7 on Definitive Jux.

drizzle · Post by **drizzle** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:01 pm

גIגm 22 and Iגm directing my favorite rapperגs music video,ג LaBeouf says excitedly. גThis shit is better than riding unicorns.ג

Brougham33 · Post by **Brougham33** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:42 pm

Money Gripp · Post by **Money Gripp** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:43 pm

360 · Post by **360** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:55 pm

Wow.
Cage's verses suck. I'm so gay for not hating the actual music, though.

360 · Post by **360** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:57 pm

Nevermind. It's all terrible.

Mindbender Futurama · Post by **Mindbender Futurama** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:58 pm

yesss.

good news all around.

next question: when's El-P dropping some new music?

the brow · Post by **the brow** » Fri May 08, 2009 6:52 pm

360 wrote:so gay

Trademark · Post by **Trademark** » Fri May 08, 2009 7:08 pm

bro, cage and eminem got together and made opposite concept albums. Eminem's is about getting raped as a child and growing up to a be a psycho path.... Cage's is about growing up normal then raping children as an adult. It's all in the lyrics and you guys are crazy for thinking this shit ain't hot.

CasOne · Post by **CasOne** » Fri May 08, 2009 7:25 pm

DredScott · Post by **DredScott** » Fri May 08, 2009 8:11 pm

when does that free ep that cage is releasing coming out?

last i heard was may...

The Grand Incredible · Fri May 08, 2009 10:59 pm

Cage is a faggot.

varick pyr · Post by **varick pyr** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:34 pm

Mindbender Futurama wrote:next question: when's El-P dropping some new music?

ANUBIS5 · Post by **ANUBIS5** » Fri May 08, 2009 11:58 pm

Isn't that the curly haired fuck from Holes?

hell0maryjane · Post by **hell0maryjane** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:09 am

kimani · Post by **kimani** » Sat May 09, 2009 1:10 am

Mindbender Futurama wrote:yesss.

good news all around.

Money Gripp wrote:

Also:

The Grand Incredible wrote:Cage is a faggot.

&

hell0maryjane wrote:

christian from austin · Sat May 09, 2009 1:57 am

גWhen Iגm writing a song I go into a weird depression cocoon, and when I come out Iגm not a beautiful butterfly; I come out a fucked-up, tattered moth,ג

DLG · Post by **DLG** » Sat May 09, 2009 4:23 am

I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, I think he's been rapping pretty well, the aesop, el and grayskul guest appearances were all dope, but man, this song is painful, the verse is like the love letter of a chubby 16 year old goth kid.

I really liked that Blood Boy song too, it had a similarly slow tempo but works really well and it's kind of cage doing what eminem never could, still rapping dark and disturbing imagery and stories but without sounding like an imitation of his younger self, but actually coming more mature.

hope the production is at least dope, but this isn't too spectacular, imo.

isn't the dude he's always hanging out with from hatebreed? out of all the super creative people in rock, why work with a guy whose band has recorded the same exact album like 15 times?

I'll give this a chance of course when it comes out, but I'm having a hard time getting into this song, it's pretty gay.

catfish hunter · Post by **catfish hunter** » Sat May 09, 2009 4:36 am

DLG wrote: isn't the dude he's always hanging out with from hatebreed? out of all the super creative people in rock, why work with a guy whose band has recorded the same exact album like 15 times?

because all the super creative people in rock are too busy keeping it real on guitar to be bothered with writing mediocre riffs for rap songs.

Sylissez · Post by **Sylissez** » Sat May 09, 2009 11:40 am

Transformers kid comes off as a real fanboy. Here's hoping to hysterical casting of our favorite indie rappers. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as El-P can become a reality.

DLG · Post by **DLG** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:26 pm

chris burke as necro.

A Decoy Statesman · Post by **A Decoy Statesman** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:28 pm

Sylissez wrote:Here's hoping to hysterical casting of our favorite indie rappers. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as El-P can become a reality.

catfish hunter · Post by **catfish hunter** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:29 pm

DLG wrote:chris burke as necro.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:34 pm

So if Shia LaBeouf wasn't the big-time actor kid from Transformers would he even be directing this?

catfish hunter · Post by **catfish hunter** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:47 pm

Philaflava wrote:So if Shia LaBeouf wasn't the big-time actor kid from Transformers would he even be directing this?

it wouldnt even be made.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Sat May 09, 2009 12:54 pm

I'll take it one further, would Cage even have befriended him?

hell0maryjane · Post by **hell0maryjane** » Sat May 09, 2009 1:01 pm

where is camu when you need him? :(
someone needs to smack some sense into this emo fuck

ardamus · Post by **ardamus** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:25 pm

drizzle wrote:גIגm 22 and Iגm directing my favorite rapperגs music video,ג LaBeouf says excitedly. גThis shit is better than riding unicorns.ג

let us know when you get backstage for this so another photo of you can get leaked on

for being at a video shoot

rhickey · Post by **rhickey** » Sun May 10, 2009 11:44 pm

Philaflava wrote:So if Shia LaBeouf wasn't the big-time actor kid from Transformers would he even be directing this?

Transformers has nothing to do with this. I'm sure filming started somewhere during the I Robot/Constantine era.

Brougham33 · Post by **Brougham33** » Wed May 13, 2009 4:30 pm

I Never Knew You video premiers on MTV2 & MTVU May 18th all day every hour both channels. I Never Knew You Ep for FREE download on MTV