Jamila Woods' "BALDWIN" Video Showcases a Hogwarts-Themed School for Chicago Kids
“Like Hogwarts–but Black.”
Alongside her recently debuted project, artist Jamila Woods has released visuals for her new single “BALDWIN,” which are inspired by Harry Potter and the magical school of Hogwarts. Woods take the concept of the magical dorm and applied it as an imaged school for Chicago black youths alongside the help of director Vincent Martell.
The song is also inspired by James Baldwin‘s “Letter to My Nephew,” which “revolves around a group of Black youth in an imagined school on Chicago’s South Side, like Hogwarts–but Black.” Jamila explains in the press release:
“To outsiders, the school appears to be abandoned – one of the 50 public schools closed under Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s watch in 2013. However, for Black people in the neighborhood this space is a gem, an oasis of Black learning and radical education for young people. We shot part of the film documentary-style, to include young people’s perspectives on what they would want their dream school to be like.”
“My goal as director was to keep the integrity of the track and infuse the majestical spirit of James Baldwin,” Martell continued. “By working with Jamila to place black CPS students in the forefront of the narrative, we create a world filled with overwhelming possibilities and black joy.”
Check out the video above and the entire project below.
In other music news, listen to Flying Lotus’ new mix for NTS Radio.
