Picks of the Week
Emtee – Pearl Thusi
A truly South African video about a real-life celebrity crush. The video sets the scene with Emtee telling his friends about how amazing Pearl Thusi is and then, as if straight out of a dream, in walks a perfectly-dressed Pearl and heads straight up to Emtee. With quite an innocent premise to the video and song, the music video is highly enjoyable with a good story to follow. Hooking up a date with that out-of-your-league love interest is essentially the premise of every man’s fantasy.
Kwesta – Nomayani
The dystopian theme of music videos seems to be trending of late. In Kwesta’s new video for Nomayani, it begins with a barrel on fire and a shell of a beaten-up car in the centre of what appears to be half a torn-down building. There’s a fierce woman carrying a water bottle, garbed with protective eyewear. The video is pure fire, both literally and figuratively, as it removes the rapper video from the mansion we’re accustomed to, to a more artistically shot pyromaniac’s fantasy. The addition of a digital glitch layer also lends a unique and very contemporary aesthetic to the video. Though it wouldn’t be a hip-hop video without some eye candy, this video succeeds in making the women more daring, rebellious and fierce – more than just bystanders with booties.
Da L.E.S. feat. Ma-E, Moozlie – 6am
South African/American recording artist and producer, Leslie Jonathan Mampe Jr. (better known as Da L.E.S) has achieved momentous success in the industry. As of 2015, his net worth was approximately R20 million. The video for ‘6am’ is an explosive combination of flashing images and red lights. The scene of the music video is set, aside from a red light darkroom, in what seems to be a dystopian township with a girl gang of weekend t-shirts. A very poetic and feminist message is carried in this video with a girl burning her weave – perhaps paying homage to African women embracing their unique and natural beauty. 6am drunk on the weekend is a scary yet intoxicating place to be.
Sketchy Bongo & Shekinah – Let you Know
Sketchy Bongo, with his trademark ski mask, is already making a major name for himself in the South African music industry. He’s part of local movement of producers that are set to wow Mzansi with a range of summer anthems – and Let You Know is living proof of this ambition. Teaming up with Idols-famous Shekhinah, the music video primarily features Shekhinah from the shoulders up, with sneaky appearances made by the masked Sketchy Bongo. This focus on portraiture is simple yet effective in the storytelling of this song and video mash-up. The desolate parking lot and other scenes devoid of human presence seem to allude to the end of a relationship.
Zayn Malik – Pillow Talk
Before you stop reading this because you’ve realised he’s that reformed boy-band member, give us a chance to tell you that this one-time One Direction’er has considerably distanced himself from that cutesy-wutesy 1D innocence and transformed into, well… a veritable feast for the eyes. And truth be told, this video is pretty bad-ass. Filled with kaleidoscope patterns, smoke and bleeding eyes, it takes on the metaphor of love; how love is in effect the stark contrast between war and paradise. ‘Pillow Talk’ is an eclectic mix of colours and images that lulls you into watching all 3 and a half minutes… and perhaps even hitting replay.
