Oh, come on. Who else would be on this list if not them?
“Isn’t it amazing how stuff can look like the best thing ever one day and then look like absolute garbage the next?”
This is the question I ask myself whenever I revisit music, music videos. and movies from the late 90s/early 2000s to see if they still look as awesome as they did to me back then.
Today’s edition: Music Videos.
1. P – Square – Senorita
What I love the most about this video is how Jude Okoye, the video’s director, memento’s the hell out of it by throwing the timeline of events all over the place. You’re never really sure of when anything is happening until the video ends. It’s weird that it’s a love song too because the video’s main character, Vivian, is a fucking horrible person. She constantly shits on the brothers for being broke and then tries to hit them up when they hammer. She’s so fucking horrible that when she eventually dies (by somehow running into the path of their car after they blow her off for being a gold digger), I let out an excited yelp.
Then there’s that iconic dance break where they morph into a Michael Jackson tribute band by violently ripping off his dance moves. Let’s not even talk about how the gravestone one of the brothers spends the entire video singing to doesn’ even have the right name on it.
Either that or the character’s real name was Senor White. And to that, I say, “lol wot??”
2. Seyi Sodimu – Love Me Jeje
“I’m here, I’m back. I’m taking over. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I’m mean and sober” – Seyi Sodimu, after walking into a bar.
A modern day music video with this premise would’ve been set in a club. However, this video was shot in a bar, which would be fine if it wasn’t obviously daytime. Also, the bar is packed at midday, which brings up a question I’m very sure no one has asked in the 22 years since this video was released:
“Isn’t being at a bar at 12 noon a telltale sign of having a drinking problem?”
That being said, what makes this video truly amazing is the extras, who seemingly received no direction on what to do or how to dress so they just shuffled about in the background at different energy levels, while dressed for completely different occasions. Like this one woman, who made the bold fashion choice to wear a pantsuit on an afternoon out to pick up men.
Iconique!
3. Rasqie – Ati Ready
In a move I suspect wasn’t intentional, the video starts like a 50s vampire movie, with ominous music playing over random shots of the setting sun and full moon. Cut to Rasqie walking into a casino/night club with an enormous guitar on his shoulder (that plays no role in the plot of the video because he never plays it), then the music starts. Unlike “Love Me Jeje,” all the extras here are energetic AF and are actually dressed like clubgoers ready to rhythmically dry hump each other till the early morn.
Except for the featured vocalist in the song, who’s decked out in a flowing Ankara gown and a Kelly Rowland wig.
Tragique!
4. Tony Tetuila – Na You Sabi
A food vendor (played by comedienne, Princess) is chilling in her shop when Tony shows up to tell her about his plan to go to Abuja so he can make money. The following conversation ensues:
Woman: “So how are you paying for this trip?”
Tony Tetuila: “Well, I was hoping you’d give me the money.”
Woman: “Boy bye! Also, PAY THE MONEY YOU OWE ME!!!”
This song has one verse and that’s pretty much all that happens in it. Also, it’s never revealed what exactly he owes her money for.
Shaky plot aside, the pièce de résistance here is how Kaffy and her backup dancers are dressed in yellow t-shirts and blue jeans, inadvertently making the video look like a 3-minute long Blue Band advert.
I get it.
These videos are very much products of their time.
They’re still fun to make fun of though. 😏
