Don't let the naysayers fool you. 2018 was a pretty amazing year for music. We were introduced to some amazing new talents who seem to have staying power and we got triumphant returns from some of our faves. We especially got powerful material from indie artists who put out fearless, genre-defining music. Noname is one such artist and her 25 Rooms is making the "best of" rounds right now because it showcases her unique approach to hip-hop, one that's refreshing to hear in a genre that's considerably crowded with a lot of the same ol', same ol'. Surprisingly, Noname has charmed critics and audiences without ever releasing a visual. That changes today, though, as she's just dropped her debut clip with the video for Room 25's "Blaxploitation."
The song itself features the rapper spitting nimble, poetic rhymes over funky bass and drums that evoke the '70s. Adding to that feeling are samples from actual blaxploitation classics like The Spook Who Sat By The Door and Dolemite. Director Alex Lill borrows some of this aesthetic in the video, mixing it with Godzilla as he follows a larger-than-life Afro'd baby who "terrorizes" a city and its white denizens as he walks the streets. By video's end, we discover that the scenario is all an imagined threat and that reality is far more innocent. Surprise, surprise.
Though the notoriously shy Noname herself is nowhere to be seen in the clip, she makes her presence and voice undoubtedly felt. Here's hoping that this is the first of many more visuals to come. Check out "Blaxploitation" below.
