Video magic happens in Port Arthur

Mary Meaux
The Port Arthur News

March 26, 2008 09:49 am

— Fancy cars and cigar chomping men wearing the latest name brands and diamond and gold encrusted grills walked in and out of an abandoned warehouse on Procter Street in Port Arthur as police looked on nearby.
The crowd soon grew to include mothers with babies and school aged children as well as grandmothers; all to catch a glimpse of rap star Bernard “Bun B” Freeman as he worked to film his newest video “That’s Gangsta,” on Tuesday.
The seemingly seedy scene inside the warehouse was just the backdrop for a twist of events in the plot.
“Part of the video is dark, almost criminal,” Freeman said during a break in the filming.
But the people who come and go are actually donating items for the community, Freeman revealed. Freeman plans to distribute toys and other items to children at Carver Terrace Apartments Wednesday as part of the ending of the video.
Port Arthur natives Freeman and the late Chad “Pimp C” Butler were part of the Grammy nominated rap duo UGK. Freeman said UGK always wanted to bring Port Arthur to the world and show the city through a “better light, a true light.”
“We haven’t always had this opportunity and now the tides have changed,” he said. “We have a director from here, the majority of the crew is from here and the extras are locals from Port Arthur.”
Weslyn “Mama Wes” Butler, Pimp C’s mother, was on hand for the video shoot.
“This is one of the most refreshing things to happen since his (Chad’s) death,” she said as she stood next to her grandson Corey L. Butler, Chad’s son. “I’m so glad Bun B. decided to do this, to bring it home. I look for great things from Bun. We’re back to work again.”
Butler was the woman behind the group and is thought of as a second mother to many of the local rap artists.
Filming took place at several areas along Procter Street with the warehouse scene taking place at the corner of Procter Street and Mobile Avenue.
Jaime Clark of Boomtown Productions walked briskly from one end of the shooting area to another, directing people with a cell phone clamped to his ear. He explained how Freeman spent thousands of dollars to purchase the toys that he plans to give to the children of the low income projects on the West Side of town.
Mississippi native and up and coming rapper Craig “XVII” Isabelle, Port Arthur rapper Herbert “Hezeleo” Mouton and Louisiana born and Houston known rapper Cedric “ESG” Hill were also on hand for the shoot.
Hill saw the video and events surrounding the filming as prophetic.
“We knew the impact these guys (Freeman and Butler) have on the community,” he said. “This is a great moment and the first step in the recovery of UGK records and Bun B.”
The video is being produced by PA native Nahalia “Mr. Boomtown” Johnson, owner of Boomtown Productions.

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