We had a chat with AKA about the inspiration behind the official music video to his smash hit, Caiphus Song. Check out the full interview and music video below.
Q: What inspired the music video’s concept?
A: The video is a wedding. The record is a wedding song. I always take my direction from the content of the record. I wanted to make a video that would make South Africans proud and feel connected to the story that we are telling. I don’t make generic music and I pride myself on that. Therefore, I couldn’t make a generic video. Like the rest of these other clowns. Let’s hope they don’t undo the work I’m trying to do, trying to make our people believe in OUR sound and OUR aesthetic.
Q: Jessica Nkosi and Warren Masemola are acclaimed actors. What was it about both of them that compelled you to have them as part of the music video?
A: In order to pull off the concept I needed actual actors to make it believable. I knew they had worked together before so I knew the chemistry would be effortless. Visually, they just make total sense. They look like a great couple – Husband & Wife. Till death do them part. Amen.
Q: Some of your friends are a part of the cast of the music video as well. What led to them forming part of the video?
A: I think that me playing the best man, I needed to be comfortable because I’m not an actor. My friends being in the video make it a bit more real, a bit more authentic and believable. Essentially, I had to put on an actual wedding to get the look and feel on point. Having my friends do it with me made it feel like one big celebration.
Q: Who directed the music video?
A: Myself and Alessio Bettocchi.
Q: The video depicts a beautiful love story which often isn’t portrayed in both local and international hip hop. Was it a conscious decision to do so or something that occurred organically?
A: I don’t think it was a conscious decision. I think that when you are the type of artist that I am, your art imitates life and the other way around. My music is all about positivity. I don’t know how people sleep at night when their music and music videos are simply watered down versions of the artists that we dig in the states. So when I make a music video or make music, it has to be REAL. It has to be SPIRITUAL. That comes through in the music and the people can tell.
Q: Most South African music hip hop videos are currently focused on depicting particular lifestyles. Do you think the Caiphus Song video will inspire more local artists to be more conceptual and utilise videos as visual story telling platforms?
Like I said, I’m not here to inspire artists. I’m here to inspire people, regular people. I want them to be to be patriotic. Patriotic in their love and appreciation for the sound of South Africa that we are trying to create and not Metro Boomin’ knock offs. I want people to see the difference between artists more worried about the label of the clothes on their backs than the flows on their tracks, and artists like myself. I want people to appreciate their own stories and aesthetic, like this video. I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL CONNECTED.
Q: What’s the one thing you’d like your fans to take from the music video?
A: I’m the fuckin’ best.
