Fresh off sharing their politically-charged title track from their debut album United States of Horror, outspoken punk-meets-hip-hop outfit Ho99o9 have returned with their second new single titled “City Rejects.”
Coming via a thought-provoking, video game-like visual, the brand new single and video from Ho99o9 certainly has a pretty strong message behind it.
“Black people and black culture have a long history of being used and appropriated to sell product, and it continues now,” explains the band and the video’s director, Behn Fannin. “Pepsi has taken heat for this general concept recently, but we see it all over the place — take note when a white person in a commercial acts like a ‘thug’ or raps for comedic effect, and meanwhile we have black folk only offered the thug or drug dealer roles in most TV shows. It’s like, 'Thank you for all of the aspects of your culture we like, but you can keep the aspects we don’t.’”
In regards to the video for “City Rejects” specifically, the band and Fannin touch on the strong symbolism throughout saying, “The video game imagery is meant to depict over-simplification for easy digestion of these scenarios by media. The flashy colors and eye-catching graphics reminiscent of modern media. Using the childlike parts of our brains to get our attention with simple colorful images, the female body and click-bait headlines.“
"The idea here is to appropriate the aspects of hate-culture and turn it back on itself. Much like how the 'n’-word was adopted by black culture as a way to remove its weight.”
To check out the new clip, be sure to look below. Afterwards, make sure to pre-order United States of Horror and grab tickets to see Ho99o9 out on tour here.
[via NPR]
