We should be used to it by now, I mean seriously. We all know that that’s the general perception and we should be okay with it. By now in the least we should have some form of coping mechanism, but I clearly missed that masterclass. Okay, I’ll get to it but I’m just so upset guys, like come on! Anyway!
Gshytt, an American rapper based in LA teamed up with Zimbabwean Visual DIrector extrodinaire Vusa Blaqs through African Fire Media to produce what nearly 50,000 viewers now know to be the ‘Vibe is right’ video.
There’s just one problem, well, several but let’s take it a step at a time shall we?
For one, we know homeboy Gyshytt with a heart of gold, flew across the Atlantic to shoot a video right in the motherland, depicting what all lesser informed fans back home definitely did not need to see. The African experience as we’ve known it to be told for us. Women in colourful printed fabric, with sizeable derrieres, domesticated lions, rolling velds of savannah and don’t forget tonnes of Zebra and Giraffe.
As the storyline goes (by cliche standards) Gshytt, is in pursuit of his roots and makes a ridiculous (not funny) Shaka Zulu reference in what was clearly the Eastern Highlands in ZIMBABWE, 200 YEARS LATER! Can I just write the rest of this in CAPs??
I don’t know what I am more upset about. The fact that Blaqs a Zimbabwean national who has had more hits in visuals than misses (that depict modern progressive video concepts such as Ammara Brown and ExQ’s ‘Bhachura‘) shot it this travesty of a video! We have got nothing but love for African Fire Media, if anything – we love what they’ve been doing for local Artists like Tamy, Bryan K and Prayersoul to mention a few but haibo bakiti, this was a certified shoot’left!
To add insult to the insult that was this entire video concept to be honest, the title ‘Vibe is right’ has little to no relation to the actual video. I only have this to say to our lovely brother from LA. Thanks for putting our boy on mos!
Blaqs congrats, we’re glad this happened for you regardless of the goings on, thanks for showing that African love and what not – yaaass one Wakanda, one love rooooar! etc.
But please Gshytt for the love of you half a million Facebook followers, do them and us a favour by sharing the sophistication that is Africa and not the ignorant idea of mud huts, wild animals and submissive women. I mean what the actual fuck guy, we aren’t cut outs from The Jungle Book (oops, that was India!) or Tarzan. Give us some credit. With all you reach and airfare you could have dispelled some ignorance but instead of being creative you fed right into it!
Long story short…
