Hip-hop going indie

BALBOA PENINSULA — Los Angeles music producer Jesse Felsot never passes up a chance to visit his hometown of Newport Beach, especially when it comes to finding a location for a quick and low-budgeted film shoot.

Felsot, 30, returned Wednesday to his old stamping grounds to shoot the newest video for Latin hip-hop artist Slowpain’s new song, “Do What You Came To Do.”

Anyone passing by the Aurora Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant on West Balboa Boulevard Wednesday could not help but notice the exotic cars, tightly clothed women and camera equipment out on the street. Absolutely completing the ensemble was the addition of a dwarf in a vertically striped black-and-teal zoot suit.

“In the old days the competition was so fierce you had to know you had a hit before you could make a video,” Felsot said. “The video serves as a tool to cross over the artist to the mainstream.

“It can work two ways: The video either makes or breaks the song, but if the song’s great it can really make the video great.”

Nowadays, with the advent of MySpace.com and other self-posting video websites, producers have more options open to them but also have to become more creative with their means of manufacturing a video.

Felsot used the success of his production company, Treasure Entertainment, and the influence of the Internet on music videos to create Street Entertainment, a project geared toward highlighting independent hip-hop groups.

“Because of what’s happening to the media, I started the company with the goals of reducing crew size, overhead costs and still bring in high-quality directors,” said Felsot, who uses high-end HD cameras. And the use of more relaxed locales such as Newport Beach makes things a lot easier, Felsot said.

“Look, we’ve been out here all day, and only a few cars pass by every couple of minutes.”

Director Marty Thomas, who has worked with Felsot a number of times in the past, has an impressive résumé in the hip-hop culture, having worked with N.W.A., Eazy-E and Tupac Shakur.

“He can come to a set and know exactly what he wants right away, and he’s excellent with lighting,” Felsot said.

The shoot began with setup at 6 a.m. and continued through the day, ending more than 12 hours later.

Local businesses nearby seemed less than fazed by minor interruptions caused by the shoot. A few were actually stoked to be near all the action.

“It’s totally cool,” said Jesse Lopez, lead tattoo artist at The Joint tattoo parlor next door to the shoot. “They’re really catering to the local businesses.”

Felsot, who in his younger years earned his keep working at the local pizza parlor down the street, has taken a full swing at the Latin hip-hop culture in Southern California.

“I looked where I saw the industry going, and I focused on Latin hip-hop,” Felsot said. “When people ask me ‘are you from Newport Beach or from the hood?’ I just say ‘I’m from what I like.’”

The emerging off-shoot of the hip-hop movement is finally giving Latinos an expression in the community, said E-Dub, the producer of Pocos Pero Locos radio show on Power 106 [KPWR-FM (105.9)].

“Latinos are often referred to as the ‘Sleeping Giant,’ a huge population that hasn’t really had a voice for decades,” E-Dub said. “This gives us that voice.”

KELLY STRODL may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at kelly.strodl@latimes.com.