Lil Shakz Drops Do Better

When I clicked on Lil Shakz Do Better video, the first thing I thought was damn, you really don’t need all the flashy shit to make a good music video. There's no mad drone shots, no hired actors, no budget-busting flex. Just Shakz. On the block. Playing chess with his boys.

And yet I watched the whole thing. Twice.

I think it’s the colour grading. I’m not a cinematography expert couldn’t tell you the names of the LUTs or filters used but you can feel it. That slightly overcast, almost dusty tone that makes London look like it’s somewhere else entirely. The kind of texture that makes you squint a bit and wonder if it’s nostalgia or just good lighting.

Then there’s the clothes. Nothing over-styled or screaming “look at me,” but still distinct enough that you remember the fit. You clock the intention, whether it was planned or born from Plan B (or C). I don’t know if this video was exactly what Shakz wanted, or if it’s what he had to do because something else fell through because honestly, with a lot of artists, that’s always the story. Shoot day comes and something flops: the location cancels, the stylist's late, someone forgets the battery pack. But reinvention breeds creativity. And maybe this was the vision all along strip it back and let music really speak.

Either way, it works. It really works. Because Do Better doesn’t need a storyline or a storyboard. It’s got presence.

Now let’s talk about the track itself.

At first listen, it’s light. Like sunlight peeking through blinds. But sit with it, and it’s got weight. There’s intention tucked into the beat produced by Jester Beats.

The beat’s got this laid-back, sun-warmed bounce to it. Something you could play on a walk to clear your head or blast from the car with the windows down. But don’t mistake the chill for empty vibes. Shakz isn’t just vibing he’s building. Rapping about putting your grind first, not in a “rise and grind” cliché way, but more like: I’ve got goals and I’m not about to let the noise take me off track.

There’s a line between confidence and chaos, and Shakz has parked right on it with the handbrake up. Relaxed, but never lazy. Focused, but never frantic. The references in the bars are subtle. Headie One, RV, Blade Brown.

And there's a subtle motivation, wrapped in melody. The kind that doesn’t try to fix your life, just nudges you toward taking the first step. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.

So no, Do Better isn’t some glossy, overcooked attempt at a summer anthem. It’s a lowkey statement. A quiet, confident offering from someone who knows he’s not at the peak yet, but also knows he’s not at the bottom.

He’s moving, slowly but surely. And he’s doing it his way.

There’s honesty. There’s clarity. There’s consistency. And really isn’t that what doing better looks like?