Valid has shared a new documentary for his Eastern European tour with DJ Head, PLACES. Detroit rapper Valid was born in the U.S., raised in Motor City’s rugged, soulful hip-hop tradition. But his roots run through Serbia. And with PLACES- a documentary created with DJ Head, directed by Katarina Radmilović, and made in collaboration with Valternativa Records– he goes back. Not just to perform, but to reconnect.
The film follows Valid and DJ Head across Serbia, as well as Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and beyond. But the story isn’t about travel- it’s about people. It’s about cities that look nothing like Detroit but somehow feel a commonality. Graffiti-covered walls. Basement studios. Fans who don’t speak English but know the words.
And then there’s Vlada Stojanović, co-founder of Valternativa. He meets Valid in Valjevo- his hometown- and helps him tap into the local scene. Their connection goes back years, through Ma Dukes (the late, great J. Dilla’s mother), who helped bring them together. But the vibe? It’s natural. No industry posturing. Just two people who believe in the same thing: hip-hop as a language anyone can speak.
There’s no luxury in this film. No red carpets or hotel suites. Just train rides, street food, soundchecks, and cyphers. One night, Valid’s spitting verses over Detroit-style beats. The next, a Balkan emcee jumps in, blending local rhythms with raw boom-bap.
PLACES is showing what happens when you show up with respect- and bars. Whether they’re playing small clubs or outdoor festivals, the connection is real. You feel it. Fans shout his lyrics back at him. Artists swap verses like they’ve known each other for years. Music moves. Borders don’t matter.
What makes PLACES powerful isn’t just the performances- it’s the silences. The in-between moments. A walk through an old neighborhood. A quiet talk about heritage. A shot of a city filled with faces that look like Valid’s, even if he didn’t grow up there.
This is a story about diaspora- about not fully belonging here or there, but making something meaningful in between. Valid isn’t just tracing his past; he’s adding to it. With each show, each handshake, each freestyle in a different accent- he’s building something that belongs everywhere and nowhere all at once.
So no, PLACES isn’t your typical music doc. It’s slower. It’s more raw. More human. And that’s what makes it hit harder. Because beneath the beats and verses is a question anyone can relate to:
Where do I come from- and what do I bring back?
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