Freshlyground have worked with controversial South African artist Zapiro to create their new music video, a tongue-in-cheek political comment on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
The video depicts an aloof Mugabe riding in the back of a chauffeur-driven presidential car and reading a newspaper, “Bob’s Times”, with the front page headline: “Glorious victory for Zanu-PF”. It cuts to Freshlyground singing in a shebeen, dancing like chickens and challenging Africa’s oldest leader to relinquish his 30-year grip on power.
At first lead singer Zolani Mahola pays tribute to the 86-year-old veteran’s part in the struggle for Zimbabwe’s independence, describing him as a “supernova”. Her lyrics continue: “An iridescent example of honour for the coming generation/ You promised always to open the doors for us/ Indeed it is you and only you who sleeps with the key/ You are chicken to change!”
Mugabe’s car comes to a sudden halt and some chicken feathers flutter in front of the windscreen. He looks out at an impoverished couple clutching chickens, but chooses to ignore them and drive on. Chickens have become used as barter trade, including as bus fares, in rural areas of Zimbabwe where cash is scarce.
At the end of the video, the Mugabe puppet transforms into a chicken with suit and spectacles intact.
The video also features puppets of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu playing dominoes, polygamous president Jacob Zuma flirting with women, former president Thabo Mbeki and other leading South African figures.
The puppets are designed by Jonathan Shapiro, alias Zapiro, a political cartoonist, whose provocative oeuvre includes an image of Zuma poised to rape Lady Justice.
Zapiro told the Times in South Africa: “I’ve been doing cartoons of Mugabe for years. Working with Freshlyground gave us the opportunity to finally add him to our cast of latex characters.
“Although I positively love this puppet, I truly hope we can retire him sooner rather than later.”
The video was directed by Thierry Cassuto, executive producer of satirical internet show ZA News. It was filmed in Cape Town with the band dressed in Zimbabwean-style 80s fashion.
Freshlyground’s seven members are a racial mix hailing from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Sarah Barnett, a spokeswoman for the group, said they “believe in freedom of speech and that people should be able to talk about topics that affect many civilians”.
She added: “The video is not an attack on Mugabe at all. It is a tongue-in-cheek challenge for him to reflect on things and become the hero he used to be, to consider his actions and surprise us. We are not afraid of his reaction. Why should we be in a democratic world?”
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CONTROVERSIAL MUSIC VIDEO
D o you think Freshlyground went too far by comparing Robert Mugabe to a chicken in their music video???
Following in the famously buff footsteps of Mark Wahlberg and Djimon Hounsou, Lunga Shabalala is the newest hunk to represent Calvin Klein Undewear in South Africa!!!
The delicious 21-year-old Durbanite beat out hundreds of guys in a nationwide search held by the famous brand over the past few months and it’s easy to see why : He is drop-dead gorgeous!!!
The price included a trip to new york and the opportunity to represent Calvin Klein in South Africa which would definitely jump start Lunga’s modeling career.
Congrats!!!
More pics of Lunga below!!!
Another top British soccer star has been booted into the center of an alleged sex scandal.
According to both The News of the World and the Sunday Mirror, a 21-year-old prostitute is claiming she bedded Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney seven times in a four month span, all while his wife was pregnant.
“Wayne chased me with sex texts and paid in wads of cash. He didn’t seem to care he was betraying Coleen,” Jennifer Thompson, who charges clients $1800 ( R13000) a night, told the News of the World.
London’s Daily Mail reported that Rooney’s wife, Coleen, had fled to her parents’ home to mull the future of their marriage in the wake of the tabloid headlines.
It’s just the latest sex scandal to rock British soccer in recent months. Peter Crouch, Rooney’s fellow striker on the national team, withdrew from Euro qualifiers last month after being accused of cheating on his model fiancee with a teenage prostitute. And their England teammate, John Terry, who is still married for now, lost his captaincy earlier in the year after knocking up another teammate’s ex-girlfriend.
It’s crazy how those British Soccer players are now more famous for their sex-scandals than their performance on the field!!!
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