The exasperation in Miss Storm’s voice is evident – as is her determination – when she implores us to take action in her latest single, ‘Quicksand’.
Speaking as the voice for the millions who are distraught about the epidemic of state violence against African Americans, Miss Storm gives the names of those who have become world-famous for tragic reasons: George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor. It’s a reminder of what we’ve lost, and how long a journey is still ahead of us.
Miss Storm has always had a political dimension to her songwriting, and a powerful one too, as she leads with her quick wit and incredible intelligence, never once being afraid to tackle the subjects others might consider too difficult.
No matter how emotive her previous releases however, she’s never been as incisive or relentless, as she is on her upcoming album, ‘Black Dreams’. The set is uncompromising as it details the African American experience. Miss Storm tells both her story and that of many others like her, passionately sharing her pain and rage, all the while providing an inspiration to her listeners, and pushing for social change.
On ‘Quicksand’, one of the highlights of the ‘Black Dreams’ set, we see Miss Storm joined by Madam X, who is every bit as talented and fiery as she is. The two rappers perfectly complement each other in style; Miss Storm is relentless and emotional, while Madam X toys with our expectations.
The accompanying clip for ‘Quicksand’, a moving video which Miss Storm co-directed, we see the two vocalists united as a formidable force. The video starts at a cemetery, mourners gathering as the names of the fallen are spoken, along with their images.
At the end, the rappers are on a barren beach on Jekyl Island, where in the 1800s the last slave ship, The Wanderer, brought to America the final known groups of Africans sold into captivity. The women face the sea, wrenching hard-won optimism from their experience.
In the video, we see Miss Storm and Madam X wearing war paint as they perform an African water ritual; water is used as an important prayer form to summon ancestors. In between, there’s footage of a Black Lives Matter rally, with marchers determined to see wrongs redressed.
You can watch the video for ‘Quicksand’ below. Miss Storm can be found online on her official website, Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and SoundCloud.
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