Jamaican dancehall star Popcaan has been on the rise since last year's Where We Came From album, as he got some crossover attention thanks to an appearance on Jamie xx's album. Now, he's rolled out a video for a new tune called "Dem Wah Fi Know."
The clip begins with a discussion of Jamaican spiritual beliefs. This sets a thoughtful, reflective tone for a tune that mixes herky-jerky dance rhythms with futuristic synths and Auto-Tune-laced vocals. Popcaan appears along with a group of his buddies, and the second half of the clip takes us a nightclub party. These celebratory scenes are intercut with images of animals and solemn-looking people from the singer's hometown of Portmore, making for an intriguing mix of moods.
Director Focus Creeps said this about the video:
I had always been really moved by Popcaan as a sincere and uplifting songwriter. When I began thinking of ideas for this track, which is more paranoid in a street sense, I started thinking about how when you make an effort to do what's good—to take risks, like Popcaan did—there's always the dark stuff that you have to leave behind. The duppy mythology seemed like a perfect metaphor for the kind of confidence it takes for a Jamaican artist to rise up against the adversity, haters, and corruption that will always be an obstacle for those who put their faith and energy into something positive. This song is about keeping one eye on the look out towards that dark stuff you conquered but can always rise up to haunt you.
"Dem Wah Fi Know" is coming out on YVP Records later this month. Watch the video below [via The Fader].
The clip begins with a discussion of Jamaican spiritual beliefs. This sets a thoughtful, reflective tone for a tune that mixes herky-jerky dance rhythms with futuristic synths and Auto-Tune-laced vocals. Popcaan appears along with a group of his buddies, and the second half of the clip takes us a nightclub party. These celebratory scenes are intercut with images of animals and solemn-looking people from the singer's hometown of Portmore, making for an intriguing mix of moods.
Director Focus Creeps said this about the video:
I had always been really moved by Popcaan as a sincere and uplifting songwriter. When I began thinking of ideas for this track, which is more paranoid in a street sense, I started thinking about how when you make an effort to do what's good—to take risks, like Popcaan did—there's always the dark stuff that you have to leave behind. The duppy mythology seemed like a perfect metaphor for the kind of confidence it takes for a Jamaican artist to rise up against the adversity, haters, and corruption that will always be an obstacle for those who put their faith and energy into something positive. This song is about keeping one eye on the look out towards that dark stuff you conquered but can always rise up to haunt you.
"Dem Wah Fi Know" is coming out on YVP Records later this month. Watch the video below [via The Fader].
