Afrika Shox Evaluation

7/29/2019 Afrika Shox Evaluation

1/10

Afrika Shox Leftfield; AfrikaBambaataa


2/10

Narrative Structure

Afrika Shox has a strong sense of story telling, this can be seenthrough the obvious plot and the fact that the video has a beginning

(black man is appearing from the underground) , middle (parts of

his body begin to shatter) and end (he shatters into dust). It is

suggested that it is a performance with out takes ; purely because it

is obviously acted and definitely needed more than one attempt at

the shots taken. This is evident in the costumes and make up used

as they must have been planned and tested before use in the final

production. It is also evident in the certain shots take n that it is a

performance with out takes ; for example when the helpless body

parts of the man begin to shatter away , this could not be done in

one shot, it must have been taken over and over again, and from

different angles. The shot is an example of binary oppositions

(movement/stillness), as the man walks past others they stop and

watch, but do not help.


3/10

PlotThe plot of Afrika Shox is a gothic like man emerges from an alleyway, he stumbles out on to a busy new York

street, where his clear need for help is ignored. He begins to struggle to walk down a flight of stairs as a white

businessman watches intently over his newspaper, the black man holds out his hand for support. However It is

broken off when another white businessman walks past, the man notices his mistake, but chooses to carry on

his journey as it is no importance to him. The black man begins to carry on, now with only one hand, but still

nobody comes to his aid. He advances into a pole which breaks away his foot. He then begins to hop into the

underground, still nobody comes to his assistance. He is confronted with a group of white break dancers, they

continue to dance and do not take notice of the troubled black man. He is than watched on by Afrika

Bambaataa, as he falls again loosing both hands. Afrika Bambaataa than appears and offers the black man if he

would like a hand?, which the black man accepts. He begins to hop out of the underground when he is hit by a

car, smashed into dust, and forgotten by the wind.

The narrative to Afrika Shox is identifiable as an open text (BARTHES CODES) and ambiguous. Which means

that it gives the audience access to their own interpretations of the music video

Narrative Structure


4/10

Possible Interpretations

Vietnam War (1959 1975)

One interpretation of the music video Afrika Shox could be that the main character is

in fact a metonym for the soldiers in the Vietnam War. The characters sickness could

signify the soldiers treatment and the price they had to pay in the war; death

(detonation of the character at the end of the video) mental health issues (different

look on everyday life), loss of limbs due to battle (shatter of the characters arms andfeet). The costume of the character is much like that of a soldier (silver dog tag,

clothing) , which again suggests the Vietnam war concept. Also the quick worms eye

shot of a truck driving past, resembles much like that of an army truck, transporting the

soldiers and weapons to their place of battle.

Katie Wales theory that genre is an intertextual concept is relevant as the video can

link to many things (Vietnam war, slavery etc)


5/10

Neglect and isolation of Black men by White

It is suggested that the white business man is a metonym for thewhite urban elite. After breaking the black mans ( who is a

metonym for the symbol of black people as a whole) arm, the

wilful ignorance of the black mans struggle is suggested when the

white man, who is captured by a worms eye shot the top light

putting his eyes into the shadow (evil), he teasingly turns away

from what he has caused and takes no notice. He has no sense of

awareness or guilt from what he has done. The white break

dancers are a metonym for the appropriation of black culture by

white society as the black man walks on they carry on dancing

and ignore him, to them he is invisible. Afrika Bambaataa is the

only person who acknowledges him (would you like a hand?)

which links in with his actions in the real world, as he is known as

an African American community leader in New York. The music

video communicates on the same level, the themes of political and

racial tension.) Clause Lewis Stausss theory that there is acreation of conflict is relevant, as there are many amounts of

binary oppositions which give the sense of this,.



6/10

Afrika Shox has a dystopia, hell like state through out, the obvious assumption

of the man would be that he is a clich Zombie, roaming the streets of New

York, hunting for his next feed. However when looking deeper into the video

you notice first that, through out he does not eat or attack anyone which

contradicts the zombie stereotype completely. Also that there is no sense of

fear or terror in the other characters which would be the obvious reaction

towards a flesh eating creature. The reference in the lyrics that the true date of

the millennium was one year too early, suggests to the audience that AfrikaBambaataas lyrics are potentially prophetic.

Some audiences may interpret the music video as a black comedy, and that it

shouldnt be taken seriously, this is because of the prime element of when

Afrika Bambaataa askes the man would you like a hand? this could be seen as

comical as the man does not have a hand to take.

The music video could also be interpreted as a reflection on society; thatnobody is willing to help until the end - would you like a hand



7/10

Genre

The genre for Afrika Shox is electronic, progressive house and dub

step. There are visual signifiers in the video which indicate this genre

(the police car, colourful lights, break dancers and Afrika Bambaataa).

The flashing lights of the police car could represent the theme of dub

step, which can also be interpreted as strobe lighting. The clothing of

the break dancers indicates the underground hip hop side of the

genre. The visual appearance of Afrika Bambaataa is a visual signifier

that indicates the roots of dub step.


8/10

Location

The location of the filming for Afrika Shox was New York, full of

the typical businessman and the perfect place for the black male

character to be situated in an urban setting. It gives a negative

view on the representation and treatment of black African

Americans.

The video is filmed in and around the world trade centre, which

is the financial district of New York. The visual and lyrical tension

of the video takes on an added significance to the 9/11 attacks.

Although the video was shot before the event, it feels much

more intimate, like youre watching the day before the planes

are coming, and you know theyre coming. When looking at it in

this case, the video is much more hard hitting and has anemotional pull on the audience.


9/10

Mise En Scene

Lighting

As the main character stumbles out from the darkness into the

sunlight, he is blinded by the sudden change in lighting. This

could represent that of the African slaves, leaving the darkness of

captivity and stepping out on American land for the first time

bewildered by the strong beams of sunlight. Although the sun is

shining in New York the scenery still seems dismal and bleak, it isday time but yet the taxi cars still need to use their lights when

driving. Which links to the lights of the cars (especially that of the

police car) representing the genre of dub step and electronica,

also interpreting that of lights at a rave, which is where this song

would be exhibited.


10/10

Camera shots/angles

The beginning low angle shot of New York, suggests the city as a

colossal place which is full of terror and destruction, establishing

the power of the masses of conglomerate businessmen controlling

the city.

The modern city of New York is shot in ways that suggests dread and

separation; the shots are a metaphor for modern society and

communicates how the main characters society is harsh on its black

population. The crumbling of the protagonist could represent the

crumbling of society.

The low angle shot of the main character as he enters the video for

the first time, does not suggest the obvious (he is a powerful and a

feared character), but it challenges the stereotypes and delusional

views on black individuals.

Mise En Scene

Documents

Afrika Shox Evaluation