Kanye West, New Slaves featuring Frank Ocean: video e testo

Bisogna riconoscere a Kanye West un acuto senso del marketing: per la promozione del singolo New Slaves, il primo estratto dal nuovo album che dovrebbe uscire intorno al 18 Giugno, il rapper americano ha organizzato ben 66 anteprime in giro per il mondo. Non in classici e scontati club riservati, ma proiezioni del video su 66 edifici storici di alcune città in giro per il mondo: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, New York, Parigi, Londra, Berlino e Sydney sono state scelte come teatro delle proiezioni del video e debitamente mappate sul sito ufficiale del cantante, con tutte le informazioni per trovare l’edificio scelto e assistere così all’inusuale anteprima.

Kanye West ha indicato ai fan via Twitter come controllare tutte le location dell’evento:

NEW SONG AND VISUAL FROM MY NEW ALBUM BEING PROJECTED TONIGHT ACROSS THE GLOBE ON 66 BUILDINGS, LOCATIONS @ KANYEWEST.COM

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) 18 maggio 2013

Il video di New Slaves è quasi un metafilm: una semplice immagine in bianco e nero di Kanye West viene proiettata sugli edifici e di nuovo filmata, per registrare l’effetto visivo straniante del suo viso deformato dagli spigoli delle costruzioni. Il messaggio è molto forte e accompagna un testo polemico e diretto contro il razzismo quotidiano che si focalizza sulle celebrities di colore ma soprattutto sulle persone non famose, costrette a lottare per vivere liberamente. Il featuring vocale di New Slaves è affidato a cantante Frank Ocean, che interviene alla fine della canzone.

Testo

[Verse 1]
My mama was raised in an era when
Clean water was only served to the fairer skin
Doing clothes you would have thought I had help
But they wouldn’t be satisfied unless I picked the cotton myself
You see its broke nigga racism
That’s that “don’t touch anything in the store”
And there’s rich nigga racism
That’s that “come in and buy more”
What you want a Bentley, fur coat and diamond chain?
All you blacks want all the same things
Used to only be niggas
Now everybody play me
Spending everything on that Alexander Wang
New Slaves

[Hook]
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers
But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers
But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower

[Verse 2]
I throw these Maybach keys
I wear my heart on my sleeve
I know that we the new slaves
I see the blood on the leaves
I see the blood on the leaves
I see the blood on the leaves
I know that we the new slaves
I see the blood on the leaves
They throwing hate at me
Want me to stay at ease
Fuck you and your corporation
Y’all niggas can’t control me
I know that we the new slaves
I know that we the new slaves
I’m about to wild the fuck out
I’m going Bobby Boucher
I know that pussy ain’t free
You niggas pussy, ain’t me
Y’all throwing contracts at me
You know that niggas can’t read
Throw him some Maybach keys
Fuck it, c’est la vie
I know that we the new slaves
Y’all niggas can’t fuck with me
Y’all niggas can’t fuck with Ye
Y’all niggas can’t fuck with Ye
I move my family out the country
So you can’t see where I stay
So go and grab the reporters
So I can smash their recorders
Yeah they confuse us with bullshit
Like the New World Order
Meanwhile the DEA
Teamed up with the CCA
They tryna lock niggas up
They tryna make new slaves
See that’s that private-owned prison
Get your piece today
They prolly all in the Hamptons
Braggin’ ‘bout they maid
Fuck you and your Hampton house
I’ll fuck your Hampton spouse
Came on her Hampton blouse
And in her Hampton mouth
Y’all ‘bout to turn shit up
I’m ‘bout to tear shit down
I’m ‘bout to air shit out
Now what the fuck they gon’ say now?