Nigerian Afro-fusion singer/songwriter, Burna Boy releases the second video ‘Monsters You Made’, off his recently released album ‘TWICE AS TALL”.
TWICE AS TALL, released earlier this month, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart and currently sits at #52 on the Billboard 200 and #128 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Artists Chart. This is Burna Boy’s highest-ever appearance on the chart, with a total of 14.8 million US streams between August 14th and August 20th. With over 78.2 million streams in the first week of its release, the TWICE AS TALL album became the number one album on apple music in 48 countries. Presently, it has crossed over 100 million streams across all platforms.
The video opens with the voice of Ebikabowei “Boyloaf” Victor-Ben, former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), mirroring a glaring, naked and bitter reminder that the Niger Delta region of Nigeria is still in crisis.
Chris Martin’s haunting poignant voice is introduced and in its graphic state, says,
“Calling me a monster, calling us fake, You make the minotaur the dinosaur wake. Calling me a monster, just ‘cause we say, No way, no way, no way.”
Chris Martin singing “No way, no way, no way” in the “Monsters You Made” chorus
Shot in Lagos, Nigeria by a conglomerate of film directors: Meji Alabi, JM films and Clarence Peters, this video depicts the resultant anarchy based on years of deprivation of people who exist in the land of plenty.
Burna Boy brings the messages in the video home with a sample from the resounding 1987 interview with Ghanaian poet, Ama Ata Aidoo: “Since we met you people 500 years ago, look at us. We’ve given everything. You are still taking. In exchange for that, we have got nothing…Nothing. And you know it. To the question asked: ”Don’t you think it’s over now”?, Aidoo’s reply is scathing. “Over?” she baulks. “Over where?”
To this, the Afrofusion star says: ”We’re still on the losing side to this day. We’re still giving and to this day we have nothing in return. It’s a truth that needs to be told. Everyone wants to come and sugarcoat it and try to be politically correct. Me, I’m not doing that no more”
With this video, Burna Boy blanks out any form of noise, allows the ‘musical beast’ take over and makes his supremely catchy music video as a true global citizen. Burna is a musical trip and has his spirits to thank for this video inspiration.
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