Lil Wayne released a new video for his single, “God Bless Amerika,” from his “I Am Not A Human Being II” album. The video features the Young Money/Cash Money MC in his hometown, New Orleans, which seems to remain desecrated by hurricane Katrina. According to rollingstone.com:
“Lil Wayne makes a poignant point in the new video for his track ‘God Bless Amerika’ (from his latest LP I Am Not A Human Being II). The clip finds the rapper returning to his hometown in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans – an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina that remains blighted nearly eight years later.
In the clip, Wayne is seen rapping in and around abandoned and destroyed homes (including one with walls that bear graffiti that alludes to Kanye West’s criticism after Katrina: “They don’t care”) as well as in front of an American flag that drops to reveal hundreds of Hollygrove residents. The footage is cut with more shots of ‘Weezy’s’ neighborhood as well as police in riot gear, and although they charge, the video never shows an outright fight. (In keeping with the “Amerikan” dream, the video also includes some product placement for Wayne’s Trukfit clothing line and Birdman’s latest business venture, GTV Vodka.)”
The video was met with some controversy, as clips emerged with Lil Wayne stepping on the American flag. But the Rapper ensured that those clips would not make the final cut and that he meant the symbolism of America no harm. According to nydailynews.com:
“There’s also a large American flag, which was last seen being stepped on by Wayne in behind-the-scenes video footage from the shoot. He later apologized and clarified that the stomping would not be utilized in the finished version. Indeed in the released clip, the flag is an early backdrop before it is lowered to show neighbors behind him.”
It’s been a week of apologies for Lil Wayne after he issued an apology to the family of Emmett Tills for the use of his name in reference to sexually explicit lyrics in one of his songs. Regardless of your views on the Young Money artist, the video came at a fitting time given the current discontent with the legal system in the wake of the Zimmerman trial.
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