When Jay and Swizzy were filming this video at Deitch, there was a brief debate over whether they should in fact pour paint over the $100 million Damien Hirst platinum/diamond skull. Swizz was against it on some preservation of art shit, but Jay was all Fuck it, it came out in 2007, and obviously defiling one of contemporary art's priciest pieces is some next shit. Like future graff. A hundred milli is like ZZZZZ-ville to Jay-Z. It was a non-issue, really. The more important decision was, which Juggalo to cast as the video's muy importante scary faux Joker? At first they were going with Tina, a 14-year-old Juggalette from Dayton, but her dickhole parents (state-appointed guardians, really) wouldn't sign the waiver, plus they decided if they were going to employ a Grace Jones/Brigitte Nielson-style goddess to do the Ang Lee scene, it would be a good look to go with a dude. Pause. Hence Geoffrey, the man you see here. Not a real Juggalo cause all the Faygo makes them too rowdy/unreliable on set, but Geoffrey's a good representation, no? Also, Swizz Beats collects a lot of art.
