See Gary Clark Jr.’s Vision of Rural America in ‘What About Us’ Video
Song features on guitarist’s upcoming album This Land
Gary Clark Jr. has released a black-and-white music video for his latest single “What About Us."
Gary Clark Jr. has released a black-and-white music video for his latest single “What About Us,” which features on the guitarist’s forthcoming politically charged album This Land.
The video for the track was directed by Savanah Leaf and showcases a group of people living and spending time in a trailer park: a black father teaching his son to play the electric guitar, a senior mixed-race couple smoking and two gender-fluid millennials spending time in an inflatable pool.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Clark said he considers “This Land” “the most important song” he’s ever penned. “It’s about being black in America, in the South,” he told RS. Clark also revealed that the wanted to be known for more than just the blues, which is why his new record spans reggae to “Prince-like epics.”
“I wanted every note and lyric to mean something,” he told RS. “With the records I’ve made before, there’s so much emphasis on guitar: We’ll just play a badass guitar solo, and no one cares about the lyrics. That’s not what I got into it for. I like Quincy Jones. I like Stevie Wonder. I like Ray Charles. I like Cab Calloway’s arrangements. I like bridges, pre-choruses. That’s something I never really paid attention to.”
Gary Clark Jr. will also make his debut as Saturday Night Live musical guest on tonight’s episode. This Land is set for release March 1st.
