As much as you probably don’t want to hear it, July is coming to an end, meaning we have 1 month left of our sweet sweet summer before plunging back into dark times. Yes winter is coming, (well Autumn). its been a great year so far for music and why not celebrate the last 7 months of music by remembering some of our favourite music videos of 2015.
in no particular order
1. G.O.M.D – J.Cole
(released 23 March, 2015)
Off J.Cole’s latest album 2014 Forest Hill Drive, arguably his best piece of work since his early mixtapes The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights, G.O.M.D sends out a message to the haters to basically quit hating. Directed by Larence Lamont (Hello Big Sean’s epic I.D.F.W.U video), the video is shot down in the deep south of Louisiana on a plantation that faces a slave rebellion. Symbols of colourism and classism within the black community is evident throughout, though many may question the relevance this has to the song. To make things clearer the direction of the music video is inspired by an old field song sang by railway workers during the Jim Crow era, which Cole reveals to have sampled on G.O.M.D. Recently becoming more vocal about oppression and unity amongst the African Americans, the music video is an aesthetically pleasing visual that give J.Cole fans a 5 minute journey into the conscious thoughts of the man himself.
2. Fucking Young – Tyler, The Creator
(released 9 April, 2015)
opening with a short skit that will reminded me of something out of Loiter squad, we’re given a glimpse of Tyler’s so called irresponsible, childish side (pretty much cut short when he falls for a girl much younger than himself and realises he needs to grow the fuck up before the situation escalates and he gets himself in some trouble). Its starkly different from Tyler’s earlier stuff (urm we all remember Yonkers..), the colour pallet is bright and bold, lots of yellows, greens, pinks and blues and the sounds are a lot more bouncier & melodic. Directed by Wolf Haley (if you’re a Tyler fan then you know thats his alter ego), we can see Tyler showcasing his talents aside from rapping and producing. a wonderfully directed music video that shows us Tyler, the creator is just having fun with it and luckily making a career out of it all.
3. All Around The World – Rejjie Snow
(released 7 July, 2015)
Described by many to be very film noir, Irish rapper Rejjie Snow features Amir Legrone and the infamous Lily- Rose Depp in the video of his latest single All Around The World. its a much more uptempo, feel good record in comparison to songs of his last project rejovich, leaving fans in anticipation for what Rejjie Snow has left for us before the year ends.
4. Rush – Kali Uchis
(released 5 May ,2015)
A personal favourite produced by both Kaytranada and BADBADNOTGOOD off Kali Uchis’ latest and highly anticipated project Por Vida. Kali looks like an absolute 70’s bombshell, parading about in short shorts and rainbow roller-skates with her girlfriends through the desert . inspired by, i quote Kali, “Quentin Tarantino, freedom, revolution, euphoria, nature, unity.”, its no surprise that the video is as light, fun and lively as the production behind the song.
5. Sober – Childish Gambino
(release 10 January, 2015)
This videos from the last project (Kauai/ STN MTN) we’ve heard from Gambino (who has ghosted from pretty much all social media so i really have no idea whats going on with Childish Gambino atm but where ever he’s hiding come out please). The video really embodies the wonderful world of weird much to our amusement. Gambino looks like a homeless rabbit (does that make sense?) on LSD, Weed and alcohol, sitting in some kind of takeaway food shop and creeping girls out. He breaks into a special dance performance, choreographed by Ian Eastwood (who has also worked him Gambino’s bud Chance The Rapper/The Social Experiment), no longer looking like a perverted creep and actually a pretty cool dude. Gambino depletes back into his stoic/sad looking state once the cute girl leaves with her takeaway, reminding us that he’ll never be sober…again.
6. A message – Kelela
(Released 3 March,2015)
A emotionally ridden performance from the soft voiced Kelela. we witness her pour out insecurities from a previous relationship and a turn a new leave by cutting her locs short. she is suddenly transforming into an anime character and splitting into what seems like two conflicted sides of herself desperately reaching to become whole again.
7. Alright – Kendrick Lamar
(released 30 June, 2015)
It starts with an untitled snippet of a never heard before verse, Kendrick vibes with a few of TDE artists (Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q & Jay Rock), declaring “to pimp a butterly another classic CD”, Kendrick is confident, he’s on top of the world (literally and metaphorically) and he’s seems to be in a better place than he’s previously been (In interviews and through out the album we learn that Kendrick had been battling depression). Kendrick floats about appearing as the Messiah of Compton, a place we stereotypically associate with gang violence and poverty (Think Boyz n the Hood). But Compton’s community looks vibrant even in B&W, Kendrick has put his city on the map and not for its negative connotations. Even in times of police brutality and the constant campaigning of Black Lives Matter, Kendrick Lamar is sending the positive message of love and unity, reminding black community that we must not be at war and create enemies amongst ourselves.
8. Them Changes -Thundercat
(released 21 July, 2015)
in the video a samuari looses both arms in combat, realising he’s lost everything. constantly taunted by his vices and appearing to be a burden to those around him, he declares he’s a “a heartless, broken mess”. a great metaphor for what is feels like when you loose something so simple, that you took for granted. On top of the bouncy bass and funk/soul inspired production is lyrics filled with grief and self loath, its sort of ironic. Really its your typical heartbreak song but director Carlos Lopez Estrada tells us that “Thundercat’s take on heartbreak is so atypical that I figured the video for the song should be anything but a classic relationship-gone-wrong story. Stories like athletes’ careers ending after injuries or artists losing their site/hearing/ability to perform; these concepts are truly heartbreaking”
Donuts 