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Rising On The Charts, ‘AFTER THE REIGN’ Is Must Watch Film With A Comical Yet Serious Approach To Today’s Music Industry And Social Media Driven World

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Rene Rosado (The Conners) stars opposite Lisa Roumain (Avatar), Scotty Tovar (Empire) and Jessica Meza (East Los High) in the new Geo Santini’s mockumentary After The Reign, based on the abrupt rise and fall of social media prankster-turned rapper Benito Cruz a.k.a Lil Tito.
Santini, who writes and directs, enlists Grammy award-winning producer Cory Rooney for a guest appearance. In 2020, the new film was the most-watched film at the New York Latino Film Festival. The film is presented by Gravitas Ventures and Red Arrow Studios through MPM Productions.

Produced by Luis C. Arellano, After The Reign follows Benito Cruz (Lil Tito) establishing an irreverent social media persona by creating and executing edgy pranks that flirt with legality. But when one of his pranks lands him behind bars, Benito’s social media following isn’t just sustained, it grows. His new inheritance provokes a transformation from clickbait prankster to hardcore rapper known as Lil Tito. Bolstered by his trolling antics, Lil Tito’s music lands on the top charts and his videos frequent the trending sections of video platforms, establishing a base of infatuated fans who ask, “What will Lil Tito do next?” Fame and influence beg for a level of responsibility that Lil Tito rejects, making the internet puppeteer a victim of the exploitative music industry. Ironically, Lil Tito is soon destroyed by the beast that created him and his addiction to virtual validation drives him to do the unthinkable.

“Social media, and the possibility for quick fame and fortune, is a cultural force and Geo’s film manages to highlight the darker side of this fame and notoriety in this clever satire. Utilizing real influencers, and drawing from the headlines, he has crafted a narrative that uses humor to highlight the pitfalls of online infamy,” said Megan Huggins, Acquisitions Coordinator for Gravitas Ventures.

“I’m a Hip Hop kid. I grew up in the music business and I loved film. I saw where Hip Hop was going and I wanted to do a character study on new age rappers and how fan bases have changed. We used to be fans of artists because of their music and it’s becoming more about an artist’s personality via social media and trolling culture. You may think that some of the film’s antics are too ridiculous to be realistic, but if you go on the Internet, you’ll find material that’s even more ridiculous. I wanted to examine what happens to an artist’s psyche after years of trolling and clout-chasing. Who is left behind when the likes stop coming in?” said Santini.

After The Reign was most recently seen and accepted into, the largest film festival in Puerto Rico. As of March 2 2021, After The Reign is available for POVD, including Amazon, iTunes, Comcast, Vudu, and Redbox.
Currently charting on multiple platforms, After The Reign is off to a promising start. Very similar to what is going on in the music industry today, the new film takes a comical yet serious approach to a social media driven world and the people that depend on it. Although you can catch a laugh from this film, be sure to pay attention as the film creates a strong message for all.


Watch the trailer for Geo Santini’s After The Reign now or stream at http://www.afterthereignmovie.com/

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Omega The Poet and Curtis Williams address legacy on striking new track “Boy”

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Omega the Poet’s back with another deep and introspective track about the human experience. His new collaboration with Curtis Williams (who’s worked with A$AP Rocky, J.I.D., and Wiz Khalifa) digs deep into the idea of legacy and rejecting the idea of sainthood. Smooth, complex, and endlessly memorable, it’s a striking listen that stays with you long after the song ends.

Listen to “Boy” below.

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Editorials

How Omega The Poet Brought A Real Experience To Life On “Nina Simone”

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The best music comes from a real place. It’s easy to make up a story and translate it rhythmically, but it often sounds better, and is more relatable, when a musician draws from their real life to entertain listeners. 

Omega The Poet proves that with his new track, “Nina Simone.” Named after the Civil Rights activist and singer of the same name, it covers a situation with an amazingly unpredictable woman that he’s experienced before. The soulful track that features both Tajé and Innanet James make you think about similar experiences that you’ve had, succeeding in being both relatable and extremely listenable. 

Here’s an interview with Omega The Poet about how “Nina Simone” came about and what’s coming next for him. 

What was the inspiration behind Nina Simone?

Generally, the song is about a love affair I had with a young lady whose name also happened to be Nina Simone. Listening back to my verse, I’m taken back by how witty the lyrics are. I promise, nothing in that song is made up.

For example, the first line “Nina Simone, my ace of hearts…“ is something I said because she has an ace of hearts tattoo on her chest. So the inspiration was to express my adoration for a lady that was (and is) very significant in my life — in the most coded way.

How did this collaboration come about?

The collaboration with Tajé was a no brainer. He’s one of my closest friends & we went to college together at NCCU. He was a Jazz studies major & I would always hang around him and improve on my skill set and musicality. We just developed a genuine brotherhood. Given that, I thought he was the perfect person for the hook. As far as how Innanet James got on the track, I’ve always been a big fan of his music and the collaborations he’s done with other artists (Like Pusha T, Mac Ayres, etc.)

I also like to think my “musical palette” is very advanced & sometimes peculiar. So sonically, I thought he would be a great addition to the song. I reached out, he liked the song and he hopped on.

Have you ever had your own Nina Simone experience? If so, did that factor into how you made the song?

I think I have, now that you bring it up. I think at the time of making this song I was super young and, shamefully to say, in a serious relationship while also navigating the “secret” relationship with the young lady the song is about. I know that Nina Simone, as an activist, addressed issues like love and freedom. And as I relate her life to my life and this song, I’m drawing synchronicities as in how while I’m generally ( and always have been) a very loyal person…how certain phases of your life as it relates to growing, and freedom can cause you yearn freedom even if it is slightly deceitful. And even more — create such an amazing (and again) coded song.

What’s your favorite part about the track?

My verse for sure, I think since it’s such a 100% real story from beginning to end. It almost amazes me how I wrote it so fluently. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the melody of the song, but if you really listen to the lyrics…it’s kinda’ mind blowing. Bar’d up too on the rap side of things.

What will “Nina Simone” appear on? Can you tell us more about the project?

Nina Simone is actually a single from my last EP Eros. Eros explored the time of my life where I was budding as a young kid newly out of college and into the world. Still finding myself, but very complex and poetic given my age. I called it Eros because that is the name of Cupid in Greek mythology and I felt like that was the effect I had on women at the time.

What’s next for you?

Lots of new, highly developed yet egoless music. Some artists that inspired the music I’ll be releasing this year is Solange, D’angelo, Daniel Caesar, and Steve Lacy. Lots of beautifully simplistic, niche yet gravitational music. The type that is undeniable and forward. I haven’t released music since 2020…so everything in the vault since then will be coming out in 2025. I also started my own music publishing company and record label, called For The Record. So, I’m excited to introduce the artists under my direction as well.

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Omega The Poet, Innanet James, and Tajé explore a wild relationship with a beautiful woman in “Nina Simone”

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Now, you think that Omega The Poet’s latest is an ode to the civil rights activist of the same name, but it’s quite the opposite. It’s actually about getting together with an amazing woman that’s just as spectacular. This is a soulful smash featuring Innanet James and Tajé that you don’t want to miss.

Check it out below.

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