A student of classic hip-hop, both sonically and lyrically, Libretto released Gangsta Jazz Volume 2 The Album – a follow-up to his popular 2013 project – in early July with the help of his long-time supporters over at The Liquid Beat. Today, we’re proudly debuting the second video from the project, Jesus Had’a Afro.
‘Bretto does things his way with this one, taking us back to an era of Black consciousness, challenging the imagery we’re constantly presented, choosing to see life through a different lens. From the jazzy lead sample selection to the choices in wardrobe, every detail seems intentional. You might not notice the subtle ways in which Black women and children are depicted differently than in mainstream media, or how instead of the club, Bretto prefers to hang out in a church pew, but that’s the beauty of his vision.
“The image of a white Jesus,” says Libretto, “and the association of whiteness with godliness is not only historically inaccurate, but psychologically damaging. In no way is this song or video meant to be disrespectful to any race, culture or religious belief. Rather, this art is my attempt to to rectify a dangerous mistruth.”
We get it. Check out the video and prepare for a hip-hop experience that begs you to contemplate and explore your own visions of truth. #OutHere