Back in January, Maimouna Youssef released “We’re Already Royal,” delighting our aural senses with her inspired re-imagining of Lorde’s “Royals” and providing a teaser for her upcoming mixtape, The Reintroduction of Mumu Fresh. Now she’s teamed up with frequent collaborator, director Brian “B. Kyle” Atkins, to bring us a visually dynamic treatment for the song.
Playing dual roles of “Maimouna, the Warrior Queen” and “Mumu Fresh, the Urban Princess,” Youssef aims to visually remind us that we must embrace our regal ancestry in order to rise above the stereotypical trappings portrayed in modern day culture. Filled with positive images of family and community interspersed with powerful images of strong, stoic African warriors, the video breathes life into the lyric “We’re greater than they say we are.” One of the most powerful scenes of the video echoes one of the most powerful segments of the actual song. Mumu Fresh drops a verse, using rhythmic deft to educate the neighborhood youth about the historical wealth and achievements of our ancestors. “Wake up if you dare” and pay attention to these arresting visuals.
As an added bonus for DMV Bouncers, Maimouna Youssef (aka, Mumu Fresh) is having a mixtape and video release concert at the Howard Theatre on Wednesday, May 14th. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Howard Theatre website.
