The New Masculinity: A Visual Mixtape

What is The New Masculinity?

The New Masculinity is GIANNI’s journey of re-birth and growth in his efforts to recover from societal wounds. The yearn and search for love guides him back to his roots in which he finds himself, but only by losing himself first.

What is the money for?

To help provide the resources needed for my vision such as: 

- Equipment Rental: Cameras, lighting, and specific gear for desired shots (WILL BE UPDATED WITH  COSTS)
- Traveling expenses: Round-trip commute from Syracuse to New York City for March & specific weekends
- Art Department: Make-up artists
- Styling Funds for Wardrobe: Stylist will have a budget to use specific wardrobe for each separate shoot/song
- Props and set design
- Photo development: To be incorporated into film
- Zine: Funding for zine development to serve as look-book for both film and mixtape
- Listening event resources: Venue, speaker rental, refreshments
- Promotion & Marketing costs 
- Compensation: For team & commissioned artists
- Catering: Food for team

Budget Breakdown



When will this be completed?

The film will be completed by the beginning of April, however, the film and mixtape will be simultaneously released in the month of May/June, presenting to the world both a visual and audio component as a collective vision.


THE TEAM


Kevin Tsai - Director / Producer

My name is Kevin, but most of my friends call me Killa Kev because it rolls off the tongue nicer. I’m a freelance filmmaker and photographer from Los Angeles County, CA. My perspective is a little different though, because I grew up in an immigrant suburb farther East from Downtown, which operates in a different way than how the inner city is depicted. The West Coast energy within me inspires a lot of my work, although I strive to challenge my perspective and explore my identity to help others explore theirs.

I’m directing and producing The New Masculinity short film. When I first heard the album, I was genuinely married to it and believed that it should never fall on deaf ears. A visual component fully expressing the sounds GIANNI created would do his body of work justice. I felt as if he was being vulnerable and honest about his wrongdoings, while attempting to improve as a human being. Most people mask this type of personal development, which is why I believe in art that tries to show the world how humans really are. There’s strength in admitting to weakness. Meanwhile, weak people cannot admit their faults.

When I die, I hope that my impact and legacy is in inspiring younger Yellow and Brown kids similar to myself. A lot of first generation, American people of color are held back in their full potential due to generational differences in the way their immigrant parents view the world. I’m trying to use my work as an example of me confronting and accepting these differences between myself and the generation above me. I believe younger kids should educate themselves on their family tree as well as how the contemporary world came to be, especially in an American context. In doing so, they can help themselves navigate the world and continue to shape societal norms for the better.

All my work can be found on my website: kevingtsai.com




Valerie Torres - Stylist / Manager

My name is Valerie and I’m a student at Syracuse University from New York City. I’m a writer with a focus in fashion and music and have recently picked up styling as a new venture. The arts, especially music for almost my entire life, have molded me into the person I am. Expressing my ideas through creative means has always been vital in how I present myself to the world.

I am styling the wardrobe for The New Masculinity film. My relationship with GIANNI’s tape started when it was just an idea in his head. I’ve heard and interacted with this tape during all stages of creation and seeing it transform from only lyrics in his iPhone to now a complete, collective work has not only reflected his own perseverance and work ethic, but has also sparked inspiration in the people around him, including me. The New Masculinity tells the story of GIANNI confronting a more naive, lost version of himself, and as a result, achieving growth through this awareness of his persona. This is a narrative that everyone can relate to, and a visual component for this work would both complement and strengthen the connection between the audience and their own journey of growth.

I want my impact on the world to represent the power of allowing oneself to be seen in their most genuine form, without all of the masked crutches that we are usually given. I hope that through creative expression I can radiate inspiration, empathy, and bravery long after I have experienced my own life.




Josie Strick - Co-Creative Director

My name is Josie! I’m currently finishing my last year at Syracuse University and I’m from New York City. I major in music industry but I have a passion for photography, filmmaking, and community building through art. I really love the process of collaborating with my peers and believe the best art comes out of the process of true collaboration and the combination of individual talent and imagination.

I will be co- creative directing and assisting the overall production of The New Masculinity short film. I’ve known GIANNI for about a year or so, but I feel like I’ve known him my whole life. It brings me so much joy to see this album come to life as I’ve witnessed the hard work and soul that he and his collaborators have put into it. I believe in GIANNI’s ability to story-tell and connect with humans through his music and creative visions. The vulnerability and honesty within The New Masculinity will truly radiate and positively impact anyone who truly listens. I’m very excited and inspired to collaborate with this team to bring The New Masculinity to life.

I hope that my overall impact on Earth in this lifetime will consist of creatively bringing humans together through unique bonding experiences through music and other mediums of art. Additionally, I hope to leave an impact through my photography and documentaries. I hope that I can contribute to creating and strengthening communities through reconnecting to nature, therefore allowing us to reconnect to our souls. Collaborating with humans in a vulnerable way is very important to me. I hope to continue to shed light on not just the catastrophes that occur on this planet, but most importantly the humans and communities that are working hard to shed light and beauty on the darkness of life.




Angela Ricciardi - Co-Creative Director

Hi I’m Angela! I’m an artist from Cleveland, Ohio. No matter what creative medium I’m working through, my goal is to always help others bring their visions to life in a vulnerable and honest way. I met GIANNI my freshman year of college and have always felt like we’ve understood each other on a creative level. When he started making music, it was the coolest rap music I’ve heard in awhile, and really inspired me to want to co-creative direct this project with Josie.

I’ve worked on the creative visual side of music for about two years now, but this project has me really excited because the team is comprised of people who genuinely want to be involved in the project for the sake of bringing GIANNI’s words to life. My favorite part of GIANNI’s music are his lyrics and how he delivers them. He’s keeping alive the use of rap as a way to share wisdom and life experiences with others, all while showing off his personality through his performance of those lyrics. His songs can be equated to visual stories, which is why I think this project needs to come to life through the collaboration of creatives that are close to him, and understand where he’s coming from. I think GIANNI’s honesty through his music is genuinely something people could learn from today, especially in the political climate that we’re in. He is a true example of being yourself when the world doesn’t want you to, recognizing that he has the power to pass that onto other people through his confidence and his music. 

My goal as an artist is to help everyone that I collaborate accomplish that form of liberation, hoping that it will help make the world a better place guided by love.




Beruk Teshome - Creative Team

My name is Beruk Teshome, and I’m from Dallas, Texas. I’m a Drama major, but my love and engagement with art goes beyond just theatre. I’ve always been drawn to music, writing, and movies, especially comedies. Hip-hop has always been at the heart of mine, and working on The New Masculinity allows me to engage with many different art mediums while also working with close friends.  

I’ll be providing assistance to the creative team for The New Masculinity. GIANNI and I met in our freshman year of college, but our friendship didn’t truly develop until a year after I met him. GIANNI’s music means a lot to me, particularly because I’ve seen the development and growth of his music. GIANNI would talk all the time about what it would be like to make music, and what it would mean to his identity as an artist. Seeing GIANNI go from writing his first bars to watching him perform his first show, film music videos, and finish a full musical project is a testament to his enduring passion and legitimacy as an artist. 

The New Masculinity explores themes and a narrative that are central to GIANNI’s life, but he expresses himself so poignantly and raw that it’s easy to find yourself in his music. He delivers his music with passion and authenticity, and is always exploring ways to refine his technique. The New Masculinity is GIANNI’s first major project, and will strike a chord with anyone who gives the tape a listen. 

My impacting legacy is to serve and relate to others as best as possible. Whether it be creatively or being a personal influence, I want people I connect with to feel valued in who they are and what they do. Identity is important to me, and if I can help people connect or reconnect with themselves, then I feel I’ve made a major impact.




Akeem Lovell - Production Assistant

My name is Akeem Lovell and I am a Belizean-American freelance photographer. I’ve been shooting for about 3 years now. My work tends to be more portrait based, although I enjoy  street-based as well. Photography has brought me into an entirely different world and has allowed me to connect with a lot of great people over the last couple of years. I’ve learned so much about patience and work ethic and what it takes to really appreciate your work and the work around you.

I’m working as Kevin’s Production Assistant as well as shooting some photographs for The New Masculinity. Having only recently gotten the chance to hear GIANNI’s music, I’ve developed a strong appreciation and respect for his approach to it and the story he tells throughout the tape. Getting the chance to work on this film is important to me as I not only get to learn some more about his creative process and ideas but I also get to participate in the making of something that I think could be really special. I think GIANNI has an incredible team behind him and I’m excited to help bring his vision to reality.

I want my impact on the world to be one that keeps people inspired to live their lives as truthfully as they can. I think especially in today’s social media landscape, the need for instant gratification and constant validation tends to warp our art and creative abilities. I think if you have something important that you want to share with the world, you’re only interest should be if you’re communicating it as authentically and truthfully as possible rather than how much people will like it or not.




Gianni Villegas - Artist / Rapper

My name is Gianni Villegas, and I am an artist from Flushing, Queens. I currently attend Syracuse University as an IT major with no passion or interest in a field that I was told was a good choice for me. I’ve loved music my whole life, in fact, at one point, it was the only thing I had when everyone turned their back on me. I always knew that the craziest dream in my head was to be an artist and to make music.

I created my first mixtape, thought through the vision, and now I have found amazing humans to bring it to life in visual form. This project is my baby, and it represents a milestone of a new journey for me, one that will continue until I die. That journey is being GIANNI. This project represents generational trauma, pain, love, happiness, fear, confusion, hope, ego, sin, and authenticity. It is the most authentic way I can tell the world who I am. This project represents triumph and resilience.

The New Masculinity has been in the works for almost a year, and I hope it allows others to find a safe space to feel and think about the things they do in the dark, and in the light. I wish for my last impact on Earth is to push the way people think, broaden their horizons and force them to view life around us in ways that we are told not to. Ultimately, I hope to leave behind inspiration and power, that is, the power to take control of your own life and become the idol you admire most, because we can be the change in the world just as much as anyone else.



THANK YOU!

We are so excited to bring this vision to the world, I hope you can join us. We will update this as we progress with the production. See you soon. 

-  'The New Masculinity' Team