Award-winning Ghanaian hip-life artiste and CEO of DC Empire, Elias Ewusi Essel who is popularly known in music circles as Donzy Chaka in an interview on News day, said it is alluring, to wear the African print.
He noted that, having the African Print scene in his latest music video ‘Slay Mama’ which features Kwame Eugene was deliberate because he always wants to put the country on the map and tell the world what Ghana is truly made of. He said:
“I am one person that will always want to talk about what we have in this country. So it is very important to me”.
He also emphasized that he has always been someone who loves to project Africa in a positive light through any means possible thus, the bit of African print clothes in his music video.
“So we had to just put in that bit you know, for people to know that you know, it is still beautiful to wear this kind of African Prints and all”.
Fashion fades, style is eternal, and Afrocentric is forever. We cannot pretend we haven’t seen music videos with their on-point Afrocentric styling. This trend where artists incorporate African Print in their music videos has long taken the airwaves. Several artists will always have some element of Afrocentrism seen in their music videos. Talk of Fuse ODG’s ‘New Girl’, Manifest’s ‘B.E.A.R’, Kwame Eugene’s ‘Open Gate’, Mz Vee’s ‘Come and See My Moda’ and Cina Souls ‘Ojorley’ are just but a few to mention music videos that promote the wearing of African Print.
However, this is not only seen in Ghanaian music videos. It seems to cut across some of the African countries. Yemi Alade’s ‘Charliee’ as well is worthy of recognizance. Yemi always adds the touch of print to her videos and it makes the video fun and great to watch. The intro to the video gives you an idea of what to expect in terms of style.
Wale’s ‘Fine Girl’ music video has a whole lot of African print styles that can last you a week. Not forgetting one of Wizkid’s bangers ‘Baby Come Closer’ as well. The music video saw Wizkid dressed in an African print shirt and trousers up against an African print background. With the sort of influence he has, one is sure that Afrocentrism is highly being promoted.
Nonetheless, it is quite exciting to see this new shift in fashion; it gives some fresh appeal and edge to the video. Stylists are beginning to understand the essence of aside staying trendy, bringing a bit of Africa into their styling projects and this is one of the many ways of projecting Africa to the world just as Donzy Chaka said.
Although the debate on whether African Prints are indeed made in Africa or not still exists, we think it shouldn’t deter us from rocking them anyway. So if you haven’t considered having an African print or Ankara Inspired outfit then you should start considering it as soon as possible. Go make one for yourself and look trendy.
