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Kwoli Black 'Can I Speak?' by Connor Maclaren

Rob Ulitski - 2nd Apr 2024

Kwoli Black finds himself in a surreal TV chat show scenario in Connor Maclaren's entertaining promo for the rising alt hip hop artist.

The video for Can I Speak? begins with Kwoli welcomed onto the talk show by its offkey host, played by BINA. It gets weird and uncomfortable - Maclaren was inspired by The Eric Andre Show and Zach Galifianakis' Between Two Ferns - as BINA asks increasingly personal questions, and then barely allows him to respond, before introducing the song.

Then Kwoli enters an empty, black abyss-like space, lit by a harsh spotlit beam, to perform Can I Speak? And his performance serves as therapy as through the song, he reveals his struggle, grappling with coming to terms with his identity and who he is as a person. It builds to an explosive disco setting, which acts as comic relief whilst highlighting the idea of a light at the end of the tunnel for the artist.  

It's a mesmerising visual, with plenty of standout imagery, and a solid sense of direction from Maclaren who sets a splendidly off-kilter tone through to the very end.

Rob Ulitski - 2nd Apr 2024

Tags

  • Performance
  • Chat Show
  • Therapy
  • Abysslike
  • Studio
  • Colourful

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Rob Ulitski - 2nd Apr 2024

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