Welcome to @ray.vaughn ’s world📍
In collaboration with the Instagram Drafts Fund, rapper and Long Beach native Ray Vaughn created a series of cinematic vignettes to show an authentic look into his roots. Each story showcases the beauty in the community and culture that shaped his creative vision in hopes that other creatives will see themselves in his story and continue taking chances in pursuit of their dreams.
Klown Dance is one of my favorite records of The Good, The Bad, The Dollar Menu cause it glorifies something that is real. Flockin a house aint the best thing u can do in life. I don’t recommend— . BUT best believe u gone celebrate getting away with it. @city.james This shot was all about capturing the moment with homies when its high energy with alot of characters from my neighbor hood . Everyone centric at The Dairy. ***dont try this at home
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3PM @Dairy was the inspiration for this whole shoot with @Cityjames . 🤞🏾 When I was younger the Dairy in Long Beach was a place I went to everyday. It’s a really vulnerable record that shows a window into this safe space that I felt at the Dairy but also the daily struggles.
The choice to duplicate multiple versions of myself in this shot was to show how much time I’ve spent in this one space. How each day is kind of this different moment but in some senses the same. This shot was more my internal struggle. How even with time passing I might still be struggling with the same problems.
@instagram@creators
This shot is a real day at the Dairy in long beach. The Dairy drive thru is where you go to grab the items you need everyday, its quick its.. Communal. It seems like a chill spot but the truth is that the Diary is a meeting place. The afternoon we shot this we had about 50 of the homies pull up to support.
@cityjames centered the camera work around a push and pull of the shot where the homies are having good time. I disappear and reappear in the shot in different places. It’s a moment in time where even though long beach can sometimes be dangerous it can also have a light hearted energy. Every time we had to re-do this shot. More people from the community would show up.
@instagram@creators
Took a second to really look at the Dairy… not just as a spot, but what it actually means to myself and my community.
We all grew up in these mom & pop shops. The ones that knew your face, your order, your name… sometimes even your situation. We don’t always realize it, but these places hold us down in ways bigger than a quick stop. Early mornings, late nights, last dollars, quick meals… they’ve always been there. Couldn’t be me without the Dairy.
@CityJames used a stop motion effect to showcase the characters that exist in the Dairy. You’ll see the manager , customers coming in and out. That’s what makes it the Dairy, our sanctuary
@instagram@creators
