Over the last year, Your Old Droog has carved out a lane that is reminiscent of 90s-era New York Hip-Hop, but which is distinctly contemporary. Droog’s cadence is influenced by predecessors like Kool G Rap and Nas, but his subject matter and wry sense of humor have allowed him to forge a style that is all his own. On Droog’s song “We Don’t Know You,” from his The Nicest EP, he makes it clear why he’s looked back in order to move the culture forward, with lines like “Your music’s just an indicator of a shitty ass time in rap; escape the ringtone era and now they peddling apps.”

The video for the song is similarly contemporary and throwback, all at once. Droog journeys through modern day New York City, courtesy of some slick animation provided by Scheme Engine, but throughout, there are reminders of the days of yore. There are TVs with dials alongside the flat screens, graffiti-strewn walls, and power lines “decorated” with sneakers tied together. The color palette is also muted to impose a sense of timelessness.

Take a look at Droog’s visual ode to making Hip-Hop for the love of it.

Related: Your Old Droog & Marco Polo Share A Jazzy One-Two Punch Of Songs (Audio)