Father - “Young Hot Ebony (Remix)” (Feat. ILoveMakonnen & Rich Po Slim) Video

A few weeks ago Atlanta’s sleeper superstar Father enlisted OVO’s ILoveMakonnen and fellow Awful Records rapper Rich Po Slim to remix the eponymous track from his Young Hot Ebony mixtape. Put these three on a song together and nothing will ever go wrong, but for the video, the men respectfully bowed out and let the song’s subjects take over. Sure, these are video babes, but they’re not presented in the typical doe-eyed, female-as-accessory form. Instead, they rap along to the verses with the same kind of faux-swag that most of us — male or female — have probably tried in the mirror to a Father verse. Watching these women worm around to the song, primping, getting drunk, and at times almost mocking the lines, further illustrates the fluidity inherent in the art this community produces. With women as the perceived speakers rapping lines men created, the meaning shifts in ways both subtle and strong. For instance, the girl who mimics several long puffs on a joint along with “Just don’t smoke all my weed, bitch” line defuses any power that line might have had, flipping it in her favor. The video was directed by GIL-TA and shot by Blake Cummings, and it’s one of the most enjoyable rap videos I’ve seen this year. (Possibly because there’s not a single man in it? A male hand enters the frame once but isn’t invited back.)