Ice Billion Berg is the young Trick Daddy protege on a trajectory to becoming a major name in the rap game. He has over 12,000 twitter followers, a dedicated fan base around the world thanks to the web, and Dunk Ryder Records behind him. Ever since "Fuck The Other Side," he's continued to release content--everything from mixtapes to videos -- to fuel the buzz for his live performance fees. Video guy Justin Lopez is the director responsible for several of his video releases and Berg's upcoming DVD, "Strictly For The Streets." We spoke to Lopez by phone about locations, gear, and upcoming projects. Here's what he had to say.
New Times: Where are you from?
Justin Lopez: Miami, Florida, Hialeah to be exact.
How long have you been making videos?
Like four years. I used to edit in high school for fun and shit like that.
Who else have you worked with?
C-Ride, Young Breed of CCC's, a few other artists, and of course Iceberg.
How'd you link up with him?
I do a site called RealMiamiRapGame.com. We spoke with Berg's manager Coach and talked about making something happen, and that's how we made it happen.
You got anybody else you're affiliated with?
Matt from Smokenprofits.com.
How'd the video for "On My Grind" come about?
This song is my favorite track on his new mixtape album. The ideas came to me as I heard the song. Like the line where he says "Putting on my J's" gave me the idea for the opening shot, and the rest just kind of went from there.
Where did you film it?
His condo on the Beach, in the room, balcony, roof, parking garage, and downstairs. My friend Orlando's house for the game room with the stripper pole, and a few driving scenes.
Who's the girl?
Her name is Blanca Cabrera. She's basically a friend of mine and Orlando's, and she likes Iceberg. She was like 'let me know when you're gonna do that video' and basically we hit her up and she was down.
For more info, go to his production website Majesticvm.com.
