Rik Cordero

Infobox musical artist
Name = Rik Cordero


Landscape = no
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Fredric Joseph Cordero
Origin = Queens, New York, United States
Born = birth date and age|1979|03|21
Genre = Music Video, Feature Film, Commercial
Years_active = 2004–present
Production Co. = Three/21 Films
URL = [http://www.three21media.com/content/?page_id=3 Official Website]

Fredric Joseph "Rik" Cordero (born March 21, 1979) is an independent music video, commercial, and film director of Filipino descent. He was born and raised in Queens, New York and is known for applying unusual, non-traditional shooting methods in his work. He is also the founder and executive producer of the New York based production company Three/21 Films, founded in 1999.

Early life

Cordero was born in Far Rockaway, New York, the son of Beatriz Parcon, a registered nurse, and Federico Cordero, an architect. As a child, his mother nicknamed him "Ricky" after watching episodes of "I Love Lucy" while she was pregnant. Cordero moved with his family to Long Island, New York at the age of 10. In Long Island, he attended Baldwin Senior High School (Baldwin, New York) and later enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology where he majored in Computer Graphics. Although he was studying traditional fine arts, Cordero gravitated towards video art and motion graphics using consumer camcorders and post production software. His senior thesis project titled "Duck Sauce", a five minute 3D animation, won the NYIT SOURCE (Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression) Award. He graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Computer Graphics.

Design career

After college Cordero honed his graphic design skills for Masterdisk, a New York based audio mastering/multimedia facility. After two years he began working as a freelance graphic designer for various entertainment production companies such as 4Kids Entertainment (an American Film and television production company), Deep Focus (marketing and interactive agency) and Alloy Media (marketing and media agency). After four years working in the graphic design industry, Cordero pursued filmmaking fulltime in 2007 with the help of Three/21 Films.

Three/21 Films

Launched in 1999 by Cordero as a side hobby, Three/21 was created with a mission to produce innovative music videos, documentaries, shorts and narrative features by any means necessary. With little regard for formal training, permits or rules, they instead focus on unique and non-traditional solutions for any given situation. The first feature-length film produced by Three/21 was the prescription drug drama "Mend" which received independent distribution in 2006. It was during the production of "Mend" that Cordero met his muse and partner Nancy Mitchell. In 2007, on the set of Consequence's "Uncle Rahiem" music video shoot, Brady Nields joined Three/21 as Cordero's key grip and gaffer. The following year elevated Three/21 from a hobby to one of the fastest and most independent film production companies on the Internet.

Hip Hop Music Video Career

In 2007, Cordero met Steven Carless of Best of Both Offices and All Bets Down Entertainment, who at the time was an employee for Def Jam Recordings. Within a few months they formed a professional relationship that combined guerilla filmmaking techniques with marketing and promotion on Internet and radio. Alongside Carless and with the backing of Three/21 Films, Cordero pioneered the landscape of independent Hip Hop music videos by directing major recording artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Q-Tip (rapper), Ghostface Killah, Consequence, Beanie Sigel and John Legend, legends such as KRS-One, DJ Premier, Darryl McDaniels, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and respected MC's such as Wale (rapper), Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Smif-N-Wessun, Buckshot (rapper) and Pete Rock. The Fader has proclaimed his music videos as "miracles" while the wildly popular Hip Hop blog nahright.com has called him "the only Hip Hop video director on the planet".

Press

With the explosion of Internet video content, Cordero became highly sought after in the media. On print he has been featured in Hip Hop Connection (UK), Rolling Stone, Vibe (magazine), XXL (magazine), Mass Appeal Magazine, King (magazine), YRB and Juice (magazine) (Germany). Online he has been featured heavily on pages by Miss Info, MTV Fire Starter, Giant (magazine), Nah Right, The Fader, URB (magazine), and Wired (magazine).

"At the last hour when no one’s been calling him back about getting something done, he just went and did it on his own. I have to tip my hat off to you brother." - Nas

"Rik Cordero is just his own universe. He’s trustworthy to where I believe in his vision for the song." - Questlove

"Rik Cordero's Signature Style: Urban tales with a grime-noir twist." - Wired (magazine)

"Snoop wisely farmed the video out to up-and-coming director Rik Cordero." - Entertainment Weekly

"His videos may be rugged and gritty, but Rik Cordero’s vision is 20/20." - King (magazine)

"With a growing following and more cosigns than Obama, this Q-Borough native is redefining the role of internet videos, without an offer from Vivid or an E! reality show." - Mass Appeal Magazine

"Thanks to Cordero’s innovation, although the revolution is no longer being televised, it’s still going down." - XXL (magazine)

"Who is the music video director of the future? Right now, all eyes are on Queens, NY native Rik Cordero…" - Vibe (magazine)

"After Hype Williams’ fisheye lens revolution of the mid-90s, Cordero’s use of filters on a low-cost high-def digital camera has changed the rap video game this year…" - The Fader

"Channel Three/21 works as a street mix tape for music videos. The Best: director Rik Cordero’s gritty clips…" - Rolling Stone

Trademarks

New York City is the setting for many of Cordero's videos.

Frequently edits scenes in reverse.

Frequently shoots videos that reflect the human condition.

Is known for a two or three day turnaround time when producing music videos.

Despite a strong CGI background, Cordero usually does not usually incorporate them in his work.

Selected Filmography

Inside A Change (2008) (feature) (post-production)
"Shake This" - Royce da 5'9" (2008) (music video)
"Move" - Q-Tip (rapper) (2008) (music video)
"The Truth" - Jake One feat. Freeway (rapper) and Brother Ali (2008) (music video)
"Ruck N Roll" - Heltah Skeltah (2008) (music video)
"Memories" - Joell Ortiz (2008) (music video)
"Everything Is Heltah Skeltah" - Heltah Skeltah (2008) (music video)
"Take It To The Top" - Statik Selektah feat. Cassidy (rapper), Saigon (rapper) and Termanology (2008) (music video)
"Get Em" - Ace Hood (2008) (music video)
"Disperse" - Consequence feat. GLC (rapper) and Really Doe (2008) (music video)
"Sly Fox" - Nas (2008) (music video)
The Artistic Integrity - Wale (rapper) (2008) (music video)
Westurn Union - Westurn Union (2008) (music video)
"Be A N****r Too" - Nas (2008) (music video)
"Rising Up" - The Roots feat. Chrisette Michelle and Wale (rapper) (2008) (music video)
"Birthday Girl" - The Roots (2008) (music video)
"Get Busy" - The Roots (2008) (music video)
"75 Bars: Black’s Reconstruction" - The Roots (2008) (music video)
"Hold It Down" - Buckshot (rapper) feat. Talib Kweli and 9th Wonder (2008) (music video)
"Neva Have 2 Worry" - Snoop Dogg (2008) (music video)
"Feel This Way" - Consequence feat. John Legend (2008) (music video)
"Ups And Downs" - Joell Ortiz (2008) (music video)
"Stop Hittin Me" - Big Lou feat. Wendy (2007) (music video)
"Barrel Brothers" - Ghostface feat. Beanie Sigel & Styles P (2007) (music video)
"Go Low" - Beanie Sigel (2007) (music video)
"Hit Em With The Shottie" - Novel feat. Joell Ortiz (2007) (music video)
"You Ain’t Ready" - Beanie Sigel feat. Styles P (2007) (music video)
"Go All Out" - Buckshot (2007) (music video)
"Star Inside Of Me" - Joe Budden (2007) (music video)
"Get Ya Money Up" - Memphis Bleek (2007) (music video)
"Crack Head" - Big Lou (2007) (music video)
"Stomp" - Smif-N-Wessun feat. Joell Ortiz & Heltah Skeltah (2007)
"125 Finale" - Joell Ortiz (2007) (music video)
"Blue Magic" - Jay-Z (2007) (trailer)
"Gotta Say It" - Smif-N-Wessun (2007) (music video)
"Night Is Purple" (2007) (short)
"Latino" - Joell Ortiz (2007) (music video)
"Boy" - Big City (2007) (music video)
"Jump" - Remy Ma (2007) (music video)
"Weatherman" - Remy Ma (2007) (music video)
"Uncle Raheim" - Consequence (2007) (music video)
"Party Like A Rockstar Remix" - Hot Dollar (2007) (music video)
"Brooklyn Bullshit" - Joell Ortiz (2007) (music video)
"Looks Good On You" (2006) (35mm short)
"Bura Sera" (2006) (short)
"A Good Ghost" (2006) (short)
"This Actually Happened" (2006) (short)
"I’ve Been Lost" - +/- (band) (2006) (music video)
"Mend" (2005) (feature)

Awards

*Best Music Video Award at 2008 No Exit Music Video Festival for "Stop Hittin Me" - Big Lou
*Best Director Award at 2007 No Exit Music Video Festival for "I’ve Been Lost" - +/- (band)
*Best Music Video Award at 2006 [http://www.aaiff.org New York Asian American International Film Festival] for "I’ve Been Lost" - +/- (band)
*Best Music Video Award at 2005 [http://www.aaiff.org New York Asian American International Film Festival] for "Park, Park" - The Mighty Sweet
*NYIT SOURCE (Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression) Award for “Ducksauce” Senior Thesis Animation (2002)

References

* [http://www.urb.com/features/1287/ElectricRelaxationRikCordero.php Electric Relaxation: Rik Cordero :: Reexamining the hip-hop video mold - urb.com - 10/06/08]
* [http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/16-10/pl_music Six New Directors Who Are Making Music Video Cool Again - wired.com - 09/22/08]
* [http://www.urb.com/permalink/3464/Statik-Selektah-X-Rik-Cordero.html Statik Selektah X Rik Cordero - urb.com - 08/28/08]
* [http://thatsmajor.info/?p=26 10 Questions Vol. 1 (Rik Cordero) - thatsmajor.info - 07/15/08]
* [http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/07/14/nas-battling-djs-and-asias-biggest-pop-star-get-together-for-earthquake-relief Nas, Battling DJs And Asia’s Biggest Pop Star Get Together For Earthquake Relief (on Rik Cordero) - mtv.com - 07/14/08]
* [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/node/142104 Video: Nas: "Sly Fox" - pitchforkmedia.com - 07/11/08]
* [http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/25/wale-rik-cordero-visualize-artistic-integrity Wale & Rik Cordero Visualize ‘Artistic Integrity’ - complex.com - 06/25/08]
* [http://www.shotsringout.com/2008/06/rik-cordero-gets-in-touch Rik Cordero Gets In Touch - shotsringout.com - 06/12/08]
* [http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/genre/e3i4a78a69f13b8af05a23c62383ebfec01 Nas Reveals 'N*gger' Video, Album Cover - billboard.biz - 05/30/08]
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/05/30/nas-debuts-controversial-video-in-new-york-city Nas Debuts Controversial Video in New York City - rollingstone.com - 05/30/08]
* [http://massappealmag.com/the-vault/issue-50/rik-cordero Rik Cordero - massappealmag.com - 05/16/08]
* [http://www.sixshot.com/articles/11146 Radar: Rik Cordero - sixshot.com - 05/13/08]
* [http://www.videostatic.com/vs/three21/index.html NEW RELEASE: The Roots "Rising Down" - videostatic.com - 05/08/08]
* [http://musicalessence.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/interview-session-rik-cordero Interview Session: Rik Cordero - musicalessence.wordpress.com - 05/06/08]
* [http://idolator.com/380294/rik-cordero-antagonizes-feminist-film-theory-with-birthday-girl-video Rik Cordero Antagonizes Feminist Film Theory With "Birthday Girl" Video - idolator.com - 04/16/08]
* [http://content.onsmash.com/archives/586 OS Interview: ?uestlove of The Roots (on Rik Cordero) - onsmash.com - 04/13/08]
* [http://www.hoodhype.com/blog/?p=1248 Interview with Rik Cordero - hoodhype.com - 04/08/08]
* [http://fobbdeep.com/?p=314 Guerilla Video: An Interview with Rik Cordero - fobbdeep.com - 03/12/08]
* [http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/03/snoop-worry-vid.html Snap Judgment: Snoop Dogg's 'Neva Have 2 Worry' video - ew.com - 03/07/08]
* [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1019/title.rik-cordero-shoot-em-up Rik Cordero: Shoot 'Em Up - hiphopdx.com - 02/08/08]
* [http://www.bnqt.com/article.php?id=4852 Rik Cordero Interview - bnqt.com - 12/17/07]
* [http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/121007 Fire Starter: Rik Cordero - mtv.com - 12/10/07]
* [http://www.giantmag.com/content.php?cid=118 Rik Cordero: The Future - giantmag.com - 12/06/07]
* [http://eighty81.com/v2/?p=868 Hustler Watch: Rik Cordero - eighty81.com - 11/27/07]
* [http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/071023/0318016.html Director Rik Cordero's Bold Music Video Trailer Generates Overwhelming Internet Response - biz.yahoo.com - 10/23/07]

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2331906 IMDB]
* [http://www.three21media.com Three/21 Media]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rikcordero MySpace]