Swagger overshadowed political awareness on N. E. R. D. and Rihanna’s “Lemon” (tutorial No. 1); Pharrell Williams tips the scale with his follow up with Atlanta rapper Future, “1000” (tutorial No. 2). There’s still time for the obligatory boasts about expensive shoes, cars, and sexually available models, but the song is most compelling when it turns the number one thousand into a hypnotic protest mantra: ‘In the mirror, there’s a hero/ One, zero, zero, zero/ Hey, hey, hey, one thou'/ Git, one thou'/ Hunnud, 1000/ Uh, 1000'.
The lyrics do not make any specific political reference, seemingly alluding to politician(s) or the institutional powers-that-be who ignore the plight and chaos on the grassroots level (‘Act like you don’t really hear a lot/ You can pretend when you are/ Karma make sure tears will drop’). The visuals in the music video lay on an electric charge of historical specificity and lend some coherence to the song’s chaotic production. The disclaimer from Columbia Records that they “do not support or condone violence in any shape or form” and “only have internet access” establishes the scene. Then comes the footage of police brutality, an authoritative soundbite that crystallizes the message (“Nazi redneck assholes fuck off”), conflicts on the scene of anti-racist marches, an activist climbing a flagpole to take down a Confederate flag, clips of Mike Tyson entering a boxing ring, and samples of an interview where he discusses what went through his mind while preparing for a match (“I’ve dreamed of him beating me. The closer I get to the ring, the more confident I get. Once I'm in I'm a God. No one can beat me”).
And there is, of course, dancing sensation Mette Towley, who returns as a fiery Valkyrie. Backed by a phalanx of dancers in military gear, she leads the symbolic charge against fascism and oppression with a second display of dynamic choreography. “1000” is a trying and anxiety-inducing listen, but it makes for a riveting watch.
