Nabil Elderkin

Last updated

Nabil Elderkin
Born (1982-02-11) February 11, 1982 (age 42)
Education Port Macquarie High School
Occupations
  • Photographer
  • film director
Years active2002–present
Website nabil.com

Nabil Elderkin (born February 11, 1982) is an American-born Australian film and music video director and photographer, who is of Iranian and American descent. He is mononymously credited as Nabil in his videos. Elderkin has directed videos for musical artists such as: Dua Lipa, [1] Kanye West, [2] Kendrick Lamar, [2] Frank Ocean, [2] John Legend, Arctic Monkeys, and Foals. Born in Chicago and raised in Australia, he is most recently based in Los Angeles, California. [3]

Contents

Early life

Elderkin was born in Chicago, Illinois, to an American father and an Iranian mother.[ citation needed ] His family moved to Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia when he was age 2, [4] and he became a naturalised Australian citizen.[ citation needed ] He studied at Port Macquarie High School and was a keen sportsman, particularly an avid surfer.[ citation needed ] His initial experience of photography was through photo shoots of the surfing scene in Australia.[ citation needed ]

In early 1990s, his parents separated and his mother returned to the United States.[ citation needed ] Soon Elderkin, just 17 at the time, joined his mother in Chicago. He studied photography and for some years photographed music bands and concerts and Chicago-based DJs.[ citation needed ]

Career

Elderkin's big break came when he befriended the then relatively unknown rap artist Kanye West. [3] Elderkin had heard a Kanye West mixtape and had tried to contact the rapper by looking up www.kanyewest.com. [3] The website came up as unregistered but available for registration, so he bought the domain name on an impulse. Three weeks later an executive from Roc-A-Fella Records contacted Elderkin to tell him the label had just signed Kanye West to a multi-album deal and wanted to know how much he was asking for the domain name. Elderkin wasn't interested in a payment for the domain and preferred to transfer the domain name provided he could meet the new artist and do a photoshoot with him, these images went on to be the artist's first publicity photos. [4] John Legend also happened to be at the photoshoot which led to the two forming a relationship, and future video work together where Elderkin introduced Legend to his future wife, Chrissy Teigen. [5] [6]

Nabil Elderkin's work has appeared in many platforms including advertising, magazine editorials and covers, artist branding, music videos, books, album covers and photojournalism. His clients list includes, amongst others artists, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Frank Ocean, Nas, Bon Iver, The Black Eyed Peas, K'naan, James Blake, Seal, John Legend. [2] [3] [7] He has worked for record labels Capitol Records, Universal Music, Sony, Warner Bros. print and broadcast media Billboard , Rolling Stone , Vogue , MTV, Rizzoli, as well as fashion personalities like designer Jeremy Scott and model Heidi Klum, the charity Oxfam and manufacturers Coca-Cola, Foot Locker, Nike, Adidas, Vans, Billabong.[ citation needed ]

Elderkin also photographed Kanye West's biographical book Glow in the Dark [8] documenting the Kanye West's "Glow in the Dark Tour" in 2008. His endeavour into photojournalism in war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo through co-operation with Oxfam worker Claire Lewis resulted in a critically acclaimed exhibition at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2007. He also has directed numerous films for Frank Ocean, such as Pyramids, Novacane and Swim Good.

His feature-length debut is the award-winning documentary film Bouncing Cats [9] about a breakdance workshop for teaching b-boy culture to Ugandan disenfranchised youth. The film was financed by Red Bull through its Red Bull Media House.

In 2019, he completed his first narrative feature Gully starring Amber Heard, Terrance Howard, Jonathan Majors, and Charlie Plummer. [2] Gully debuted at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. [2]

He is also a co-creator and producer of the new documentary series Beat Nation. The series is also produced by Mattia Bogianchino and Addison O'Dea.

Bibliography

Filmography

Videography

Awards

YearProjectCeremonyCategoryResult
2012 Frank Ocean, "Swim Good" MTV Video Music Awards Best Direction in a Video Nominated
Best Male Video Nominated
Kanye West, "Mercy" Best Hip Hop Video Nominated
2010 Bouncing Cats Newport Beach Film Festival Outstanding Achievement in Documentary FilmmakingWon
Urbanworld Film Festival [10] Best Documentary FeatureWon
Bahamas International Film Festival Best Documentary FeatureWon
DocUtah Audience FavoriteWon

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K'naan</span> Somali-Canadian rapper

Keinan Abdi Warsame, better known by his stage name K'naan, is a Somali-Canadian rapper, singer and filmmaker. He rose to prominence with the success of his single "Wavin' Flag", which was chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Besides hip hop, K'naan's sound is influenced by elements of Somali music and world music. He is also involved in various philanthropic initiatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanye West production discography</span>

The following list is a discography of production by Kanye West, an American rapper and record producer. It includes all of his work, as well as some of the music he produced and co-produced. The music is listed in sequential order by release date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Vernon</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1981)

Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best-known as the primary songwriter and frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver. He is also a member of the bands Volcano Choir, Big Red Machine, the Shouting Matches, and Gayngs, and was previously a member of the now-defunct band DeYarmond Edison. Known for his distinct falsetto voice, Vernon has received widespread acclaim for his work, predominantly with Bon Iver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glow in the Dark Tour</span> 2007–08 world concert tour by Kanye West

The Glow in the Dark Tour was the third concert tour by Kanye West, in support of his third studio album, Graduation (2007). West shared the first tour dates across the United Kingdom in September 2007, while he later announced the American leg in January 2008. He engaged in precise tour rehearsals and enlisted Jim Henson's Creature Shop for production of his set, with design handled by Esmeralda Devlin, Martin Phillips, and John McGuire. West mostly performed music from his first three studio albums and incorporated work on later legs from his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak; the songs were re-arranged by the touring band to have a more melancholy sound. The concerts followed a space opera concept that saw West traveling in his spaceship Jane and then performing on a desolate planet, where he sought more power towards the end. The tour began in London on November 22, 2007, travelling across the United States, South America, Europe, and Oceania until its last show in Brisbane on December 7, 2008. West made a tour stop at the 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival, although delays faced to his set caused a negative backlash.

Malik Yusef El Shabazz Jones is an American spoken word artist, poet, rapper, music producer, and director based in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Metric</span> British musician, producer, and DJ

Alex Drury, known professionally as Alex Metric, is a British musician, DJ and producer. At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, he won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for producing the Silk City and Dua Lipa song "Electricity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Blake (musician)</span> English singer and record producer (born 1988)

James Blake Litherland is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first gained recognition following the release of three extended plays—The Bells Sketch, CMYK and Klavierwerke—in 2010. He signed with A&M Records to release his self-titled debut album (2011) the following year, which was met with critical praise and peaked within the top ten of the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Bouncing Cats</i> 2010 American film

Bouncing Cats is a 2010 documentary film written and directed by Australian-American director and photographer Nabil Elderkin. The film follows the efforts of Abraham "Abramz" Tekya and Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to use dance to empower youth in war-torn Uganda. The film is a testimony of Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew and his experiences in the BPU program. The film features narration by Common and additional interviews with Mos Def, will.i.am and K'Naan. Also appearing in the film is Okot Jolly Grace, whose guidance enabled the filmmakers to see and understand the plight of children in northern Uganda.

<i>Nostalgia, Ultra</i> 2011 mixtape by Frank Ocean

Nostalgia, Ultra is the debut mixtape by American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean. It was released on February 16, 2011. Ocean was inspired to make the mixtape after Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans and his subsequent relocation to Los Angeles. After joining alternative hip hop group Odd Future in 2009, he self-released the mixtape, without initial promotion. Nostalgia, Ultra has a unique R&B aesthetic and features surreal themes and nostalgic lyrics. The songs mostly focus on interpersonal relationships, personal reflection, and social commentary. Following its release, the mixtape received rave reviews from music critics. The cover features a picture of a bright orange BMW E30 M3, Ocean's "dream car", in plain sight amidst lush greenery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Novacane (song)</span> 2011 single by Frank Ocean

"Novacane" is the debut solo single by American singer Frank Ocean. It was released as the lead single from his mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra. The song was written by Ocean, Tricky Stewart and Victor Alexander, and produced by Stewart. Lyrically, the song narrates a young female dental student who makes a living doing porn and who recreationally uses local anesthetic drugs which she acquires from her place of study. The song explores themes of isolation, loneliness and a lack of feeling caused by numbness. The song received highly positive reviews from music critics and was listed as one of the best songs of the year by publications such as The New York Times, Spin, Ology, Zimbio and Pitchfork. Reviews praised the dark subject matter of the song, and praised Ocean's ability to create narratives and the sonic atmosphere of the track. The cover for Novacane is similar to the Roxy Music album Stranded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 MTV Video Music Awards</span> Award ceremony

The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. Nominations were announced on July 31, 2012. Rihanna and Drake were the most nominated artists that year with five nominations apiece, followed by Katy Perry and Beyoncé, who received four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Ocean discography</span>

American singer and rapper Frank Ocean has released two studio albums, one visual album, one mixtape, 21 singles and eight music videos.

<i>Owl Pharaoh</i> 2013 mixtape by Travis Scott

Owl Pharaoh is the debut solo mixtape by American rapper and record producer Travis Scott. It was released on May 21, 2013, on the iTunes Store and available for free download by Grand Hustle Records and Epic Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, T.I., Wale, Toro y Moi, A$AP Ferg, Theophilus London, Paul Wall, James Fauntleroy, Meek Mill and Kanye West.

"New Slaves" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). The song features additional vocals from Frank Ocean. It was produced by West and co-produced by Benjamin Bronfman, while Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Travis Scott, Sham Joseph, and Che Pope contributed additional production. West, Bronfman, and Dean co-wrote the song with Ocean, Cyhi the Prynce, Malik Yusef, Rhymefest, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, King Louie, and Anna Adamis, with Gábor Presser receiving credit due to a sample of his composition. In May 2013, the song was previewed by Hudson Mohawke at the Polish Free Form Festival and formally announced by Virgil Abloh. West debuted it with video projections of him rapping on buildings worldwide in locations like Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Scott production discography</span>

The following list is a discography of production by Travis Scott, an American rapper from Houston, Texas. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Scott</span> American rapper (born 1991)

Jacques Bermon Webster II, known professionally as Travis Scott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Throughout his career, Scott has achieved four number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, along with a total of over one hundred charting songs. Scott has been nominated for ten Grammy Awards and won a Latin Grammy Award, Billboard Music Award, MTV Video Music Award, and multiple BET Hip Hop Awards. As of 2023, Scott has sold over 49 million certified records in the U.S. alone. Scott's musical style has been described as a "blend between traditional hip-hop and lo-fi" and often characterized as "ambient," with a heavily appraised influence from rappers Kanye West and Kid Cudi. His stage name is derived from the latter's real name, Scott Mescudi, combined with the name of a favorite uncle.

The NME Awards 2017 were held in London, England, on 15 February 2017, at the Brixton Academy and was hosted by English comedian Huw Stephens. Beyoncé led the nominations with five, followed by the 1975, Bastille, Christine and the Queens and Skepta with four nominations each.

<i>Gully</i> (film) 2019 American film

Gully is a 2019 American coming-of-age crime drama film directed by Nabil Elderkin, from a screenplay by Marcus J. Guillory. The film stars Kelvin Harrison Jr., Charlie Plummer, Jacob Latimore, Jonathan Majors, John Corbett, Amber Heard, and Terrence Howard.

<i>Faith</i> (Pop Smoke album) 2021 studio album by Pop Smoke

Faith is the second and final studio album by American rapper Pop Smoke. It was posthumously released on July 16, 2021, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. The deluxe edition of the album that includes four additional tracks was released on what would have been Pop Smoke's 22nd birthday, July 20, 2021. On July 30, six additional tracks were added, including the late rapper's 2020 single, "Dior". The album's guest appearances includes from Kanye West, Pusha T, Rick Ross, The-Dream, 42 Dugg, 21 Savage, Rah Swish, Travi, Beam, The Neptunes, Bizzy Banks, Takeoff, Lil Tjay, Swae Lee, Future, Chris Brown, Dua Lipa, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Quavo, and Kodak Black. The deluxe edition adds additional appearances from G Herbo, OnPointLikeOP, Killa, Dread Woo, Tayy Floss, Fetty Luciano, Anuel AA, and Obasi Jackson. Faith is a drill, trap, and hip hop record with elements of pop-trap, gospel, and pop.

"Demeanor" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke, featuring English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa, from the former's posthumous second studio album, Faith (2021). The song was written by the two artists alongside Daniel Mlzrahi, Michael Gomes, Dru Decaro, Sarah Hudson, and Coffee, while the production was handled by Mantra. It was released to rhythmic contemporary and contemporary hit radio formats in the United States on July 20, 2021, as the second single from the album. A disco-pop and electropop track, it features a rhythm guitar, bassline, drums, funky groove, and bounce, alongside rhythmic verses.

References

  1. Twersky, Carolyn (23 August 2022). "Inside Dua Lipa's 27th Birthday in Ibiza". W Magazine. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mamo, Heran (8 June 2021). "Nabil Elderkin Talks Directing 'Gully,' Travis Scott's Role & Film's Hip-Hop/Classical 'Sonic Tapestry'". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Nabil Elderkin Reflects on His 'Gully' Journey: 'I'm So Glad That It Happened This Way'". Complex. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  4. 1 2 The Australian: Shooting the breaks
  5. "WTF with Marc Maron Podcast: Episode 1137 - John Legend on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  6. Lee, Tionah (15 September 2022). "John Legend's 'Wonder Woman' Video: Chrissy Teigen Shares Hilarious Behind-the-Scenes Moment". CBS8.com. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  7. LeDonne, Rob (9 November 2016). "Nabil Elderkin: the man who captures the stars for album covers and music videos". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  8. The Original Winger: Kanye West x Nabil Elderkin – Glow In the Dark Book
  9. Asia Tatler: Nabil Elderkin Interview – On Bouncing Cats
  10. RedBull USA: Bouncing Cats wins award for best documentary