by Phil Chard

Zimbabwean rapper Navy Seal has just released the the RasquesityKeaitse directed video for 100 Dollar Bills featuring Phuture Phil (i repeat, no relation)and the word that came to mind on several occasions while watching this video is “irony”. It is drenched in ironic imagery.

My only complaint about Navy Seal and his music has been his adoption of American idioms, topics and accents in his music. To me they paint his work with a coat of unoriginality and a lack of authenticity.

In the video Navy Seal is seen exiting a home with a design very common in Zimbabwean low income, high density suburbs. He then takes a long walk to a shopping centre whose amenities feature a car wash amongst other things.. It is clear that Navy Seal is trying to paint the “I'm from the grimy streets but I'm on my grind “ type of visual, which he manages to pull off... However in an ironic twist he helps prove my point for me. Would any of the people at the locations in the video was shot listen to his music? Would they understand what he is speaking about in his accent? Do they understand the phrase “pushing whips” and “stacking chips”. I would hazard a guess and say no.

Until Zimbabwean rappers begin to recognise the value of their own original and unique stories instead of falling over themselves to recreate what they hear coming from overseas, their only believable music will always be about the grind and haters, not about celebrating their successes.