The party that covers the rooftop of one of Lake Shore Boulevard West's luxurious condos seems just a little more raucous than the average Hollywood affair. It's probably 'cause this party, a video set actually, has been two years in the making.

Guilty Crime Productions' (GCP) headman J.B. recorded the "new" song "No Way Out" with former In Essence member, Sean Jones, two years ago. J.B. called Jones up to sing on the sultry track and after that it was time to play the waiting game. According to the veteran rapper now is the right time.

Of course, revisiting the video after so long has provided some mix-ups for the performers.

"It's a little bit weird...," Jones explains in a condo acting as a makeshift dressing room for everyone in the video. "I'm trying to remember the background and I've been listening to the song but now I'm trying to get particular with it 'cause now Cazhhmere she wants me to sing all the backgrounds... and I definitely can't remember those."

In this instance a temporary case of amnesia is quickly cured when the music playback blares from the speakers all day. The temperamental weather, however, is impossible to figure out -- a random shower forces an early (and delicious) gourmet lunch, but nobody's sweating it. Nothing can sabotage J.B.'s goal to win a MuchMusic Video Award after being nominated for Best Rap Video for the past two years, especially when he and music video director Cazhhmere are a dream team having already worked on three videos together ("Fire in Ya Eye", "Move Your Body" and "Good in the Hood"). Their relationship goes beyond business, having been working together and hanging out for four years now. In fact, the rapper often just hands over a song, like he did for "Ready or Not", and lets Cazhhmere take creative control.

"He just gives me a song and I go with whatever I feel when I'm writing it and there's a reason for that," Cazhhmere explains. "It's 'cause we're friends and I know him well so I know what he likes. I know what kind of person he is."

On set, extras and GCP acts like Tony Spitz and Matt Black play pool and flirt with lovely ladies as a hot model drags leading man J.B. out of the party to have her way with him. The cameras follow their every move.

"This video is kind of that new urban life," J.B. explains. "People living in condos. You don't even have to go to the club no more. It's just party on the rooftop... It's on a superstardom look."

So as the party winds down around 11 p.m., the Toronto skyline, with the CN Tower all lit up, glows bright -- hopefully an omen that for J.B. this party won't end without an MMVA.

 
Words by Carol Santos + Photos by Adrian McKenzie