Roll Bounce: Visionary producer Shafiq Husayn debuts new video

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​While it's true MTV killed the video star, indie music videos still live on. We're not talking about those Michel Gondry look-alikes, or DIY vids destined to be viral (and forget about those big budget Gagastravaganzas). Some videos, like all-star producer Shafiq Husayn's latest clip for "Cheeba" ft. Bilal, brings us back to the day when videos captured the feeling of a song and released it to the screen.

With a subtle narrative, fine imagery and careful balance, director Kahlil Joseph's video for the song off Husayn's outstanding Shafiq En' A-Free-Ka debut album, feels like a short film, or a montage in a movie. It's a conversation between sound and sights, as the music carries the scenes, and the visuals add a nostalgic aura to the song. The black and white vignettes of dapper gents resemble back covers of classic jazz albums, where jazz greats jammed-out with a couple of friends. Then the slow motion roller-skating scenes--at the classic haunt, World on Wheels--are fittingly filtered through a green haze, part David Fincher, part Up In Smoke.

"Cheeba" is an enrapturing anachronism.

Common likes it, and maybe you will too.

Here it is:


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