2023 is undoubtedly going to be a breakout yr for Los Angeles-based hardcore quintet, Zulu. Beyond the latest resurgence of heavy underground music, Zulu is ready to launch their long-awaited, debut full-length album A New Tomorrow on Mar. 3 through Flatspot information. Now it is solely a matter of time earlier than the band’s groove-centered powerviolence and mission to advertise inclusivity and illustration inside a traditionally white-dominated scene captivates the plenty even additional. Ahead of the discharge of A New Tomorrow, Zulu have dropped two fierce singles, “Fakin’ Tha Funk (You Get Did)” and, most just lately, “Where I’m From.” The latter boasts not solely a energetic throwback ‘90s music video — but also an on-screen cameo from comedic genius and resident shock artist, Eric André.
Zulu enlisted their guitarist Dez Yusuf to direct and handle the creative direction behind the visuals. He took heavy influence from the iconic “Scenario” music video by ‘90s hip-hop trailblazers A Tribe Called Quest in order to capture the unifying bravado and style that the Zulu track embodies. With similar retro-inspired effects, the new music video echoes the “Scenario” video, as it’s largely centered around a party in front of a green screen among the band’s closest mates and tourmates — together with Pierce Jordan (Soul Glo) and Obioma Ugonna (Playytime), who each provide visitor vocals to the monitor. André, who’s an outspoken fan of heavy music, affords the whole lot you’d count on from the outrageous Eric André Show comic via a collection of hilarious faces, gestures, and lip-synched segments. Additionally, there are temporary portraits of FEVER 333 frontman and chief-songwriter Jason Aalon Butler co-signing the band between quickly altering frames. All in all, “Where I’m From” and its accompanying music video is a celebration of the band’s roots, group and collective energy within the numbers
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We sat down with Zulu’s Anaiah Lei and Dez Yusuf to debate the inspiration and filming course of behind the music video for “Where I’m From,” its lyrical message, how Eric Andre’s cameo came together, and the possibility of further collaborations with the A-list comedian in the future.
Obviously, the music video for “Where I’m From” was influenced by the iconic “Scenario” video from the legendary ‘90s hip-hop outfit A Tribe Called Quest. What was it about that classic music video that resonated with you so much for it to be the creative direction for this visual?
Dez Yusuf: The funny thing is that I was actually going to use this concept for myself. I had already started working on it and was going to green screen myself in a bunch of places, but then it hit me like a lightning that it would make sense for [Zulu]. I always loved that there are so many people in the “Scenario” video that have nothing to do with the song, but are just repping the [music], and their movement — it felt like a common energy that I wanted to show. I was willing to give up [the concept] to the band, and it was definitely a selfless thing to match what Anaih had written [with the lyrics] for the song.
Anaiah Lei: On top of that, it was perfect timing because we were about to go on tour with all of the other bands who [are featured on the track]. There is so much hip-hop influence in this band as a lot of people know, so I absolutely knew we had to do something like this.
What was the energy like in the room while filming those group shots for the video?
Yusuf: I think it almost felt like no one could grasp how awesome this was going to be. I was just yelling at my friends to jump around in the green room before a show. I took about 50 portraits of everyone, so that’s why you get those flashing [images]. It became this really fun energy where it felt like a party. There was a ton of footage we couldn’t even fit in with us crowd surfing and [even more] members from various bands.
What were you specifically trying to convey with the song’s message?
Lei: At first, I wanted to write a song about being Black in an alternative space and not feeling like we had that chance to be ourselves within that space. This is something that we have gone through thus far — feeling like we can’t be who we want to be and people expecting us to be something else. More so than that, I didn’t want it to just be on the negative side and also wanted to express, “Hey, this wouldn’t happen if we didn’t create jazz music and have a hand in soul music and rock ‘n’ roll.” It went from expressing that [the scene] claiming to be inclusive is just bogus, because it was never like that. There’s the lyric, “It’s been exclusion since the jump,” but now we have a chance with a lot of bands coming up that are representing us. The second part of the song talks about, regardless of that stuff, the music, and the styles that we have rock. We know exactly who we are.
It truly feels like a celebration of who you are, which makes it all the more special.
Yusuf: It is. People have it backwards: We’ve been here, we’ve been around, we’ve added to this and have moved the needle forward, and are continuing to remind you to stand our ground. It’s almost a warcry to dismantle the tokenism of Black people in heavy music.
While there are several notable cameos throughout the video. How did Eric André get involved?
Lei: [Eric] DM’d the band talking about how he was a fan and wanted to come on stage, and I was like, “That’s superior. I might love that.” [Later on], I received a textual content for him and didn’t even know the way he received my quantity. [Laughs.] We would casually textual content about music and no matter, however then I used to be like, “We should just ask him to be in the video, the worst he can say is no.” He mentioned, “Of course,” so Dez and I went over to his home to movie. When we confirmed up at his home, there was loud music taking part in and I used to be like, “This can’t be his house, right?” [Laughs.]
Yusuf: I used to be like, “This absolutely is his house. It makes the most sense in the world.” It was like really loud reggae music blasting. [Laughs.]
Lei: He was having a Friendsgiving party and we had to find him since there were so many people. We [eventually] found him sitting down and we were like, “Let us know when you want to start filming,” which is all the time bizarre in a scenario like that. [Laughs.] We discovered a quiet space on a balcony and ended up taking pictures all of his components actually rapidly. He danced, yelled on the digital camera, and foolish issues like that — it was a very joke with plenty of fascinating individuals on the social gathering.
That is wild. Since he talked about wanting to return on stage with the band, do you suppose it will occur sooner somewhat than later?
Lei: One of today, I hope so. He undoubtedly needs to and advised me that he needed to only come on stage and scream into the mic. So no matter he needs to do, we’ll deliver him out subsequent time we’ve an LA present and he’s on the town. He’s such a stunning individual and can be tremendous into metallic and hardcore, which I used to be stunned to seek out out.
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