The song is a masterpiece. The music video is extremely clever, if less superlative.
I'm reminded of Leonid Kharitonov's Red Army Chorus video performance of 'Song of Volga Boatmen,' directed in 1965. A nursery rhyme song about mindless determination and strength, given reverence by the unwavering baritone, who is standing completely still. After a couple of minutes, the camera slowly pans out to reveal fellow choir members / lumberjacks / statesmen / soldiers... as far as the eye can see, until the horizon skews our vision.
Ye's 40 sweaty bald jet-black Bantus also adopt this same stoic stillness. On that stillness: the ability to stand completely motionless, even for a few minutes, requires focus, discipline, and plenty of practice. The imagery dismisses the idea that Ye's lyrics are anything less than deliberate and measured (rather than some temperamental outburst).
Rather than an endless Red Army, the camera's perspective shows a lot of empty space around the Bantus. My first thought was that it represented their philosophical island, as obviously this song's sentiment is "out there." Reflecting, I decided that the negative space represents room for the "army" to grow, even to become completely surrounded. Plenty of seats on this bandwagon.
Dressing the Bantus in heavy wolf pelts creates a conspicuous contrast. One might interpret that these Africans are adopting the affectations of the White Man, who have experienced a similar stirring in their souls. Not modern whites, but the ancient ones from (many) generations past. I consider it much more of an homage than some cultural co-opting (which some sticks-in-mud have claimed on Twitter).
You could fill the Heil Hitler chorus will endless other contrasting pairings: Nordics in sedge hats, Chinese dressed as Hoplites, Irish in loincloths, Amerinds in togas, Samoans in tuxedos, etc. A "globalist" endorsement of multi-polarity with a message to heal the world.
The song is a masterpiece. The music video is extremely clever, if less superlative.
I'm reminded of Leonid Kharitonov's Red Army Chorus video performance of 'Song of Volga Boatmen,' directed in 1965. A nursery rhyme song about mindless determination and strength, given reverence by the unwavering baritone, who is standing completely still. After a couple of minutes, the camera slowly pans out to reveal fellow choir members / lumberjacks / statesmen / soldiers... as far as the eye can see, until the horizon skews our vision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wDai9s4Hmc
Ye's 40 sweaty bald jet-black Bantus also adopt this same stoic stillness. On that stillness: the ability to stand completely motionless, even for a few minutes, requires focus, discipline, and plenty of practice. The imagery dismisses the idea that Ye's lyrics are anything less than deliberate and measured (rather than some temperamental outburst).
Rather than an endless Red Army, the camera's perspective shows a lot of empty space around the Bantus. My first thought was that it represented their philosophical island, as obviously this song's sentiment is "out there." Reflecting, I decided that the negative space represents room for the "army" to grow, even to become completely surrounded. Plenty of seats on this bandwagon.
Dressing the Bantus in heavy wolf pelts creates a conspicuous contrast. One might interpret that these Africans are adopting the affectations of the White Man, who have experienced a similar stirring in their souls. Not modern whites, but the ancient ones from (many) generations past. I consider it much more of an homage than some cultural co-opting (which some sticks-in-mud have claimed on Twitter).
You could fill the Heil Hitler chorus will endless other contrasting pairings: Nordics in sedge hats, Chinese dressed as Hoplites, Irish in loincloths, Amerinds in togas, Samoans in tuxedos, etc. A "globalist" endorsement of multi-polarity with a message to heal the world.