Mississippi rapper, David Banner, released a music video on Thursday (May 19) that he so perfectly understood will be viewed as controversial, he introduced it by stating: "After this there might not be no more world premieres." The cinematic visual incorporates the music of Banner's militant single "Black Fist" behind a story-line that is relative to much of the headlines that have exposed police brutality as a prevailing challenge to civil rights today. Joined by fellow Mississippian, Tito Lopez, the tandem leave little to be interpreted, as they rattle out lyrics of retribution that Banner clarifies in an opening communique are not meant to target anyone, but to serve as "a statement and a reminder, that Black lives won't be 'taken' lightly."
"No Martin, no Luther, no King/ no marches, no choirs, no sing," the long time artist/activist raps a couple of bars in, conveying the position of those who are jaded with attempts to obtain justice through pacifist means. He completes the verse by shouting out Kendrick Lamar, making an allusion to the Compton emcees prison inspired Grammy performance after detailing his struggle to connect with a generation of listeners he laments have "chains on their brains". The song is anchored by a hook that hypes "pump your black fist" in repetition over a trap beat.
The video itself commences with a uniformed police officer flicking through channels on his television, only to settle having realized they all air coverage of a police shooting of an unarmed Black man. The snacking officer smirks as he listens to a commentator claim, "here the video is clear evidence that the suspect was walking away, and the officer just opened fire on him." A knock soon calls his attention to the door, which bares an American flag beside it. After ignoring the knock a couple of times he answers and is ambushed. The officer regains consciousness to find himself bound in a chair, surrounded by what appears to be a courtroom set up with Black bailiffs, a Black jury, and a Black judge before him. He is read a verdict of "guilty" and dragged over to a noose, connoting that roles have been reversed and he is now experiencing what has been argued in the age of The New Jim Crow, to be the plight of Black people in America's criminal justice system. From the noose, the video cuts to him awaking in the midst of darkness, from which Banner's face rears to the echo of "The God Box" as the beat drops.
Banner's 7th studio album, The God Box, is set for release on August 19th.
Source: youtube.com
