Behind The Scenes at Split Chain’s First Headline Show /  by William Green

Jasmine from Epitaph Records asked if I’d be down to shoot Split Chain’s first U.S. headline show at TV Eye.

I said yes—but only if I could spend the whole day with them. I get a little nervous before things like this; I tend to go all in with people right away, and sometimes that energy can be a lot. But they were totally on the same page. Everything flowed—karaoke, doodles, pizza. I wanted to cram everyone into the photo booth, but it was sadly out of order.

Earlier in the day, we’d joked about stage dives and how some people just don’t get stage etiquette.

Sure enough, once the band got on, two kids started aimlessly wandering the stage like they thought they were part of the show. Eventually one guy got the memo, I pointed to one of them and said, “See that dude? He’s your responsibility. Keep him off stage.” He just smiled and went, “Got it.”

 

JPEGmafia “Lay down my life tour” NYC /  by William Green

I woke up to a text at 4am from Kat letting me know that the venue was not going to let us do video as we originally planned, So I got out of bed and started to unpack all the VHS cameras and rebuild my gig bag to be more photo focused. I did keep my PXL2000 and Ruvi in my bag incase there was a moment we could do some video which is what the tour bus clip below is from.

Behind The Scenes w/ Swedish House Mafia /  by William Green

My buddy Dimitri hit me up a few days ago and asked if I wanted to come shoot the Swedish House Mafia show with some of my weird old cameras. I’ve got a bad habit of overplanning and flaking, so I said yes immediately and asked when it was—turns out, it was that night at Brooklyn Mirage. I tossed a few of my old Panasonics and a Fisher-Price PXL2000 into a bag (yes, the toy video camera), then headed out to meet him. We grabbed burgers at a spot near his place, then swung by the groups hotel down by the bottom of Central Park. From there, we all commuted to the venue in Brooklyn together.

Sidequest to Maklemore's House /  by William Green

Redbull flew me out to Seattle to shoot a small annual music fest they put on.

After landing, I posted that I’d be around if anyone wanted to link up. A guy I’d chatted with a few times hit me up and offered me a ride from the airport—I said yes. After he picked me up, we grabbed some pizza, and he casually mentioned that he’s in a sobriety group with Macklemore.

Then he asked if I’d be down to take some portraits of him. I said sure, as long as he was open to it. An hour later, we were at his place, and I had my camera out, making portraits.

Behind The Scenes "spin the block” by 22gz ft. Kodak Black /  by William Green

My buddy over at Atlantic Records hit me up to shoot some behind-the-scenes stuff for a music video. I asked who it was for, and when he said Kodak Black and 22Gz, I immediately asked for the address. Turns out, it was at a laundromat just down the street from me.

The moment I showed up, it was already a whole scene—neighborhood kids spotted the security crew wearing Kodak’s brand, and word spread quick. At one point, the director turned to the crowd and said, “Y’all can be in the background, but if it gets too rowdy, the cops will shut us down.” Some 16-year-old fired back, “If they shut down the video, we’ll shut down the block,” then casually lifted his shirt to flash a glock in his waistband.

Later, I was talking to Kodak about a mutual we both know from Florida—the guy who did his face tats when he was just a kid. Kodak smiled, said “That’s my boy,” and pulled me into a hug. I think we were all a little surprised by that one—even his security.

Dressing Room Portraits w/ Lil Uzi Vert /  by William Green

My friend hit me up saying he was headed to Philly for the Powerhouse show and asked if I wanted to roll. I said yes, told my boss I had to dip for an “emergency,” and hopped in the car. When we got there, he brought me straight to the dressing room—Uzi was in there, grabbed my phone, scrolled through my photos, stopped at some shots of Lil Tracy and said, “That’s my boy. These are fire. Whatever you want, let’s do it.”

We started making portraits. I complimented his Marilyn Manson chain, and he told me he’s got a few—then pointed to a tattoo on his arm and said Manson made him get it. “Been cursed ever since,” he laughed.

He also casually mentioned that Manson had an incinerator in his basement and that he needed one too.

We wrapped with a long, comforting handshake before heading out to the stage.

Video of photos being made here: Youtube

Between Takes with Maxo Kream /  by William Green

The other night, I joined Houston rapper Maxo Kream at the studio while he laid down takes for some upcoming tracks, one of which, he mentioned, would feature Travis Scott. When I first arrived, the room was low-key, just a small circle of friends and collaborators. But as the session rolled on, it became clear just how magnetic Maxo is, industry folks, local artists, and longtime friends filtered in between takes, turning the quiet room into a vibrant, ever-changing scene.

It was a fitting reflection of who Maxo is: a sharp lyricist and street poet with deep roots in his community and an ever-expanding presence in rap. Maxo grew up in Southwest Houston’s Alief neighborhood, a place that features heavily in his music. His breakout 2018 album Punken showcased his gripping storytelling and set the stage for his upcoming work Brandon Banks, where he is exploring family dynamics and his late father’s influence.

That night, Maxo kept circling back to a track-in-progress called “Murder Block,” a heavy, brooding piece he demoed over and over. Between takes, we spoke about how his latest work reflects both the pain and pressure of surviving and carrying legacies that aren’t always easy to hold. The session made it clear: Maxo’s not just rapping to flex, he’s rapping to process, to document, and to remember.

Eight Coffees With Shia LaBeouf /  by William Green

I knew Shia was doing something at the Museum of the Moving Image—and since he was also in the middle of a public feud with 4chan, I figured it’d be interesting to go talk to him.

I showed up, said hey, and shared some photos I’d taken. He lit up and said, “Whatever you want, I’m yours.”

We ended up spending the rest of the day together. I met my match in caffeine intake—he must’ve had eight coffees while we hung out. We talked about his connection to music and performance, how essential it is for him to be immersed in it—not just listening, but actively participating.

He believes that live settings are where you can truly feel something. I snapped some photos of him, and we hung out with Luke Turner his long time collaborator.

Video of photos being made here: Youtube