VIDEO: Arabian Knights - Colby Stiltz

Colby Stiltz is a polarizing figure despite being a genial, even goofy hippie who keeps it positive in the truest sense. He splits his time between several states these days, but he's been around for awhile. Seven Days was referring to him as the leader of "a new generation of rhyme-slinging talent" back in 2010.

Since then he's spent time in Maine, his childhood home, and Florida, which has given his sound a distinctly Dirty South drawl in recent years. He raps about marijuana, higher consciousness, and being a better person. Also, Illuminati mind control.

Yet somehow he was the catalyst for the 802's July Beef-A-Thon, back when Judge Da Beast dropped his "Slenderman" diss -- a reference to Colby's famous Stiltz. (Dude is tall.) Like most conflicts, the July Beef-A-Thon started on Facebook, immediately spiraled out of control, and fizzled out fast after that.

Everyone involved kept it moving, too. Achievement is the best revenge, and besides, this is a Show and Prove kinda culture. As summer settled into winter, #STILTZgang eased up on a constant show schedule and disappeared to do work behind the scenes. This new video is our first look at their next season of material.

"Arabian Knights" is on a jazzy, classic wavelength, the production coming courtesy of Orlando musician & beatsmith kfelk. He's going to have a few more cuts on Colby's upcoming album Down2Earth, a sequel to his 2015 LP, Down to Earth.

This video was shot by King Spencer, who put in serious damn work in 2017. He aimed to shoot videos in all 50 states that year, and managed a truly impressive 47. That, on top of his already prodigious professional output around his native Oklahoma. Spencer has a lean, glossy style, with a clear sense of how to assemble a compelling product. If he ever winds up back in BTV, give that man a call.

You can catch Colby Stiltz grinding around New England despite the cold this month. On January 13th, he'll be at the 1st Annual Granite State Hip Hop Festival in Manchester, NH. It's three consecutive nights of live hip hop at the Jewel -- Stiltz will be playing the Saturday night "Hip Hop Heroes" showcase, alongside Eyedos of JYNXinc, opening up for legends like The Artifacts and Sadat X.