video premiere: austin hip-hop duo riders against the storm takes on the trauma of slavery in haunting video “mali”

Riders Against the Storm is one of the top hip-hop acts in Austin, setting the hill country ablaze with conscious, community-building music. The husband and wife duo (Chaka and Qi Dada) recently headlined the Pandora House during SXSW, and won top awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Their video for “Mali”, released today, tackles the history of slavery, and the spiritual practices Black people used to guide them through it. The video, the title of which is also a play on words with the party drug Molly, follows two souls tortured in ways enslaved Africans were, and it becomes a statement about moving on and seeing yourself as more than damaged goods.

“The Mali music video gives homage to the forces/spirits bringing us back from the dead,” Qi Dada explains. “Mali follows to two souls trapped in torture and humiliation tactics used on enslaved blacks. The song ‘Mali’ is a statement about being recognized in the world beyond your trauma and walking with a healthy arrogance/confidence in the world.”

Credits
Song Produced by: Reggie Coby, Mobley, and Riders Against the Storm
Written by: Jonathan ‘Chaka’ Mahone and Ghislaine ‘Qi Dada’ Jean
Video Directed by: Ghislaine Jean
Shot by: Jason Harter
Edited by: Jacob Weber
Choreography by: Sade Jones and Jaylin Lane

BTS photos above by: Robert Hein

Banner photo by Gary Williams, Jr. – Website