Fat Ray Official Music Video “Plates”

Detroit hip-hop has always found ways to reinvent itself visually, and the latest collaboration between Auxiliary Cinema and Detroit emcee Fat Ray continues that tradition with a bold new approach to music video production. Directed and produced by Brandon Damon, the new visual for Fat Ray’s record “Plates” from the Santa Rosa project blends grounded Detroit realism with stylized AI-generated worlds — all while embracing the vertical format dominating today’s social media landscape.

The video was filmed at Whatchu Wanna Eat, a food court on Detroit’s west side near 6 Mile that represents the diversity and culture of the city itself. With vendors serving everything from soul food and burgers to desserts, wings, and Asian-inspired dishes, the location naturally fit the theme of the song. Before production even started, the crew gathered to eat together and soak in the atmosphere of the space — something that helped shape the tone and authenticity of the shoot.

For Brandon Damon and Auxiliary Cinema, this production was also an experiment in restraint.

While modern music videos often rely on nonstop camera movement, handheld chaos, or rapid transitions, this visual intentionally locks the camera into a mostly stationary perspective. In today’s short-form content environment, where movement is often used to constantly fight for attention, holding the frame still almost becomes a stunt in itself. Instead of relying on aggressive camera movement, the visual energy came from the post-production process.

Using AI-generated environments combined with advanced compositing in Adobe After Effects, Brandon transformed the world behind Fat Ray as the song progressed. As Ray references different cities throughout the lyrics, the background transitions seamlessly into new skyline environments generated to perfectly match the original camera angle and perspective of the locked-off shot. Airplanes soar above the clouds while entire cityscapes materialize behind him, creating the illusion of movement and travel without ever physically moving the camera.

The concept ties directly into the meaning behind “Plates.” Throughout the record, Fat Ray calls for recognition — asking for his “plate,” his flowers, his credit, and acknowledgment from cities and scenes that have benefited from his influence over decades in hip-hop. The shifting locations visually reinforce the idea that Ray’s reach extends far beyond Detroit, while still keeping him centered in the frame as the constant focal point.

The vertical format also played a major role in the creative direction. Auxiliary Cinema has increasingly leaned into shooting music videos specifically for mobile-first viewing habits, adapting cinematic storytelling for platforms where audiences consume music visually through phones and social feeds. Rather than treating vertical video as a compromise, Brandon Damon approaches it as its own creative language, designing compositions and visual effects specifically around the format.

The result is a music video that feels both experimental and intentional — balancing practical production limitations with ambitious visual storytelling. By locking the camera into one perspective and building entire worlds around the performance digitally, the “Plates” visual became a creative problem-solving exercise that pushed Auxiliary Cinema into new territory.

For Brandon Damon, projects like this continue to blur the line between traditional music video production, social-first content creation, and emerging AI-assisted visual effects workflows. And for Fat Ray and Raphy’s Santa Rosa release, it’s another example of Detroit artists continuing to innovate without losing the authenticity that defines the city’s music culture.

photos by Brandon Damon for Auxiliary Video.