Lil Yachty has been known to flex his canary yellow grills, and did so on the cover of his recent single “Strike (Holster).” Now, he tapped Ari Mairena-Dannon, also known as AMD Visuals, who has been working on several of his music videos lately, to snap a shot of someone else’s mouthpiece, too, for his latest track “Slide.”
The smile in question belongs to Atlanta-based model Giovanna Ramos. Ramos has several previous shoots with other grill pictures on her portfolio that mirror the bright, zoomed-in aesthetic that Yachty has been utilizing.
“Slide,” “Solo Steppin Crete Boy,” and “Strike (Holster)” all share a new kinetic energy that Lil Yachty has been harnessing lately. This energy is predicated on slippery lyrical pockets, smooth cadences, and wall-rattling beats that highlight his ear for production and maintain his abilities as a rapper.
“There are a lot of times where he gets an idea or he makes a song and he wants to film it right there and then,” AMD Visuals says. “I always think to myself that if he wasn’t an artist, he would be an amazing director. He really has an eye for things, and truthfully, he pushes me to see things in a different perspective.”
So how did Ramos get involved with Yachty? And why was she the perfect match for this project? In conversation with Ramos and “Slide” video director AMD Visuals, we find out where the grill came from, how the music video came together, and more. Get to know the face of Lil Yachty’s new summer track “Slide” below.
