Lavender (BadBadNotGood song)

"Lavender"
Single by BadBadNotGood
from the album IV
Released July 8, 2016
Format Digital download
Genre
Length 3:21
Label Innovative Leisure
Songwriter(s)

"Lavender" is a song released by Canadian jazz instrumental hip hop band BadBadNotGood (BBNG) as part of their 2016 album IV. The song has been adapted into two music videos. The official video was released by BBNG November, 2016. The second music video was released as the Nightfall remix with lyrics by American rapper Snoop Dogg. The video for the Nightfall Remix has caused controversy because of a scene depicting a mock assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Background and release

BBNG made the original version of the track with Kaytranada in their home studio in Toronto. In an email to The Fader, BBNG described the process of making the song. "Kay started the idea as a beat with our drum breaks and some synth melodies. Then we recut the drums and synth to formulate a song with more sections."[1] In an interview with PopMatters in August 2016, Chester Hansen of BBNG said the band liked Kay's drum breaks and synth ideas and that the band "thought it would sound cool in context with the Ghost stuff we were working on so we took that and reworked it and then next time Kay was in town we worked on it again. It took about three or four different stages, and it was really this winter [when we completed it]."[2]

The song was initially released on the album IV July 8, 2016.[3] BBNG performed a rendition of "Lavender" on the Australian radio station Triple J during a Like a Version segment December 9, 2016.[4]

Reception

Michelle Geslani, writing in Consequence of Sound, described the song as "a true hybrid of both BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada, highlighted by woozy, jazzy bits and synths that tend to growl and glow."[5] Jamieson Cox of The Verge praised Kaytranada's performance in the song writing. "It's tough to discern Kay's presence on this one, and that's a compliment — he seamlessly slots into the band's spacey, roiling jazz-funk."[6]

Official music video

BBNG released their official music video for "Lavender" via YouTube November 16, 2016. The video was directed by Fantavious Fritz and features BBNG band members playing a realistic game of Dungeons & Dragons. The video begins with the BBNG band members looking at an advertisement on a telephone pole for a game of Dungeons & Dragons. When they get to the address on the flyer, the owner of the house locks them in his garage and forces them to play a game of D&D. While playing the game, Kaytranada appears as a holographic game piece to help the band members in their quest.[7] During the game, the Dungeon Master who locked the band members in his garage walks outside to answer a phone call. While he is outside, one of the band members slips poison into the Dungeon Master's drink. When the DM returns, he takes a drink from his cup and hands the band members a gun, trying to force them to play a game of Russian roulette. Before the game of Russian Roulette can start, the DM dies from the poison. The music video ends with an advertisement for a Dungeon Master named John Dempsey located in the Greater Toronto Area.[8] The video was one of the top ten finalists for the 2017 Prism Prize.[9]

"Lavender (Nightfall Remix)"

"Lavender (Nightfall Remix)"
Single by Snoop Dogg
from the album Neva Left
Released May 19, 2017 (2017-05-19)
Format Digital download
Genre
Length 3:15
Label Innovative Leisure
Songwriter(s)

Background

During a video game event in October 2016, the American rapper Snoop Dogg and American YouTuber Jesse Wellens paused for a smoking session. During this time, Wellens proposed a music video with clowns, inspired by the shooting of Philando Castile. Three days later, Snoop sent Wellens his own version of "Lavender" with lyrics referencing police brutality. Wellens later told Billboard, "When I originally wrote the idea of the video, the video of [Philando Castile] getting shot came out online and it was causing riots. We just kind of wanted to bring the clowns out, because it's clownery."[10] In late October 2016, Snoop previewed his new song regarding police brutality on Instagram, sampling the beat of BBNG's "Lavender".[11][12] Snoop said the song was meant to be "not controversial but real – real to the voice of the people who don't have a voice."[10]

Music video and release

Snoop's remix was released with a music video on March 12, 2017. It depicts a world of clowns and "doggs".[13] The beginning of the video shows a clown family and follows the father (played by Michael Rapaport), who smokes weed while stressed. After the father encounters a clown policeman, he is shot dead with a glitter gun while a bystander films the incident.[10] The video cuts to "The Clown House", where Ronald Klump, a clown parody version of Donald Trump,[10] holds a press conference concerning the deportation of all "doggs". In the video, Snoop Dogg sees Klump and his henchmen outside, and then grabs a gun aims it at Klump. He pulls the trigger and a flag with the word "bang" pops out. Klump is later seen in chains.[13]

The song was included in Snoop's album Neva Left, released on May 19, 2017.[14]

Reception

Conservative politicians and commentators criticized the video's mock assassination of Ronald Klump, a parody of Donald Trump. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) said, "We've had presidents assassinated before in this country, so anything like that, people should really be careful about that kind of thing."[15] Senator Ted Cruz said "I think it really is in poor taste to be making fun of murdering someone. Particularly assassinating the president."[16] On March 15, 2017, President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, "Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!".[17] Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen called the video "totally disgraceful" and called for Snoop to apologize.[18]

On March 16, Snoop posted a video responding to the controversy, saying, "Now they wanna ask me questions and interview me, but guess what? I've got nothing to say, mate."[19] Some artists, including T.I. and Talib Kweli, defended Snoop's video. Common compared it to political statements made by Public Enemy and KRS-One.[20] Bow Wow tweeted, "Ayo @realDonaldTrump shut your punk ass up talking shit about my uncle @SnoopDogg before we pimp your wife and make her work for us," and deleted the tweet within 24 hours.[21][22] While discussing his reaction to the video's ending, Ice-T said, "I was nervous. He's messing with the line. We'll see how this weighs out, but I roll with Snoop. I thought it was a good video." Treach called the video "artistic" and compared its comedy to Saturday Night Live skits.[23]

Spencer Kornhaber compared the reactions to the video to remarks made by Madonna at the Women's March on Washington about bombing the White House, arguing that they both show how strong political statements are used by one's political enemies to "portray Trump’s critics as wackos."[13] Matthew Dessem, writing for Slate, called the video's execution "not bad" and said the video's clown gags gave it "a lurid effect that actually feels about right for this moment in time."[24]

Charts

Chart (2017) Peak
position
US Jazz Digital Songs (Billboard)[25] 2

See also

References

  1. ↑ Golden, Zara (June 15, 2016). "BADBADNOTGOOD Connect With Kaytranada On "Lavender"". The Fader. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ Elone, Emmanuel (August 11, 2016). "Speaking Gently: An Interview with BADBADNOTGOOD". PopMatters. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  3. ↑ Persaud, Navi (July 8, 2016). "Toronto Jazz Quartet BADBADNOTGOOD Release Their 'IV' Album". Empty Lighthouse Magazine. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Zanda (December 9, 2016). "Watch BADBADNOTGOOD Cover A Beach Boys Classic For 'Like A Version'". Music Feeds. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  5. ↑ Geslani, Michelle (June 15, 2016). "BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada work magic on new song "Lavender" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  6. ↑ Cox, Jamieson (June 18, 2016). "This is your next jam: Danny Brown, Phantogram, and more". The Verge. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  7. ↑ Geslani, Michelle (November 16, 2016). "BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada share awesomely nerdy video for "Lavender" — watch". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  8. ↑ Grosinger, Matt (November 16, 2016). "A Game of Dungeons & Dragons Goes VERY Wrong in this Music Video (Premiere)". Nerdist. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Prism Prize Reveals 2017's Top 10 Finalists". Exclaim!. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Platon, Adelle (March 12, 2017). "Snoop Dogg on 'Lavender' Video Parodying Trump: 'Nobody's Dealing With the Real Issue With This F—king Clown as President'". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  11. ↑ Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (October 19, 2016). "Listen To A Snippet Of A New Snoop Dogg Song Which Samples Kaytranada And BADBADNOTGOOD's "Lavender"". The Fader. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  12. ↑ Welsh, April Clare (October 20, 2016). "Snoop Dogg samples BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada on new anti-police brutality song". Fact. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 Kornhaber, Spencer (March 15, 2017). "Snoop Dogg's Anti-Trump Video Becomes a Pro-Trump Prop". The Atlantic. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  14. ↑ Whaley, Natelegé (May 19, 2017). "Snoop Dogg's 'Neva Left' album: Download and streaming options for new release". Mic. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  15. ↑ Hensch, Mark (March 13, 2017). "Rubio: 'Snoop shouldn't have done that'". The Hill. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  16. ↑ Mene, Reid (March 15, 2017). "Ted Cruz Just Weighed in on Snoop Dogg's 'Trump Shooting' Video—Says Goes to Bigger Problem in America Right Now". Independent Journal Review. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  17. ↑ Coscarelli, Joe (March 15, 2017). "Donald Trump Condemns Snoop Dogg on Twitter for Satirical Video". The New York Times. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  18. ↑ Kraw, Victoria (March 16, 2017). "President Trump lashes rapper Snoop Dogg over controversial video". news.com.au. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  19. ↑ Matsyszczyk, Christ (March 16, 2017). "Snoop Dogg: 'Nothing to say' to Trump after mock shooting video". CNET. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  20. ↑ Whaley, Natelegé (March 16, 2017). "Hip hop comes to Snoop Dogg's defense in Donald Trump feud". Mic.com. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  21. ↑ Chasmar, Jessica (March 16, 2017). "Bow Wow deletes tweet threatening to 'pimp' Melania Trump". The Washington Times. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  22. ↑ Platon, Adelle (March 16, 2017). "Here's Every Artist Who Has Defended Snoop Dogg's Trump-Referencing 'Lavender' Video". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  23. ↑ Platon, Adelle (March 14, 2017). "Ice-T & Treach Call Snoop Dogg's Trump-Mocking Video 'Artistic,' Not Threatening". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  24. ↑ Dessem, Matthew (March 13, 2017). "Snoop Dogg Gets a Load of These Clowns in Washington in His New Video". Slate. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Jazz Digital Songs week: April 1, 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
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