“The Field: Miami” debuted this week giving audiences an opportunity to see a side of the South Florida party capital that they rarely see. “Q” O’Denat of WorldStarHipHop spoke to rolling out about the project and shared why he wanted people to understand what it’s like for impoverished communities in a town known for glitz.
“It’s shot over a seven-day period in Dade County — from Little Haiti to Little Havana. It covers economical issues, police harassment — with guest artists featured like Trick Daddy, Uncle Luke, Gunplay,” he says.
“Miami faces a different set of issues,” Q explains. “In Chicago, violence is based on gangs and territory. When you ask the guys the same questions in Miami — it’s all about money. People die in Miami over money.
“I want people to see that Miami is more than South Beach, Ocean Drive, LIV on Sunday — people are blinded by glamour when it comes to Miami. ‘The Field’ is just exposing another side of Miami. We want to use this as a platform to be a voice for these communities that are so often forgotten.
“I felt honored. I’m Haitian and Haiti is part of the Miami streets. It’s a rich culture in these inner cities of Miami. So many different types of ethnicities — it just feels like it’s so territorial there.”
Q is especially keen to point out the rappers that have been a part of the Miami community; not just via projects like “The Field,” but also on a day-to-day basis.
“I feel like, with the artists, all of the recognizable names; but then you have locals [who] all come together to represent. It just feels like they all work together. Even though everyone comes to South Beach, Florida, they don’t know there are locals and stars in Miami who don’t hang out in the tourist-ish spots,” Q adds.
“These local Miami artists do come back and they give back, as well,” he believes. “Whether it’s providing jobs or being a mentor. I know Gunplay, for instance, is one artist who opened shop for a lot of people in his own clique and his own area. I feel with artists in South Beach, they have to come back — but they don’t have the platform to show that.”
