Poppy Ajudha’s superb rework of the legendary Herbie Hancock’s "Watermelon Man" is the latest gem from the newly released Blue Note Re:imagined album to receive visual treatment. The powerful Lou Jasmine and Nathan Shadrach-directed feature captures all the beauty and blackness of the brilliantly penned lyrics. As we follow her stroll throughout her neighborhood, one word comes to mind: community. Though, in the beginning of the video, she notes the toll the current climate has taken on her personally, her encounters along her journey to check on a loved one reassures us of both our resiliency and our kinship.
Every element of the video is a subtle yet intentional display of our creativity and innate knack for finding beauty in the midst of madness. Poppy explains, “I wanted the video for 'Watermelon Man' to be a celebration of blackness in all its forms, I wanted it to show joy and community. I cast my sisters, my best friends, and my grandma amongst all of the other beautiful souls.” The entirely Black/mixed-race production team was able to capture her vision perfectly, as she notes, “The feeling was unspoken because they just knew what I wanted and why it was important, they felt it too, I’m so happy with how it turned out.”
Blackness, family, community and creativity – we love to see it. Watch the video for Poppy Ajudha’s “Watermelon Man (Under the Sun)" below, and be sure to add the track to your collection from your preferred digital platform. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the complete Blue Note Re:imagined album. Vinylheads can make their way to the Blue Note store to cop the album and the previously-released singles on vinyl.