For those who don’t know, the durag is a hair accessory used by African-American men (and some women) which causes their hair to lay down flatter than it would naturally, causing an effect known as waves. In Blood Orange’s new video for “Chewing Gum,” from his recent album, Negro Swan, Dev Hynes and ASAP Rocky celebrate this everyday affect of Black life by taking it to the extreme. The effect is truly glorious and an obvious statement uplifting an under appreciated or unknown aspect of Black culture — much like Negro Swan as a whole, as well as its previous single “Charcoal Baby.”
Where normally a satin durag flap or cape hangs down about shoulder length, the silky custom ones Hynes and Rocky wear in “Chewing Gum” are extra, extra long, hanging down to the ground and billowing majestically in the desert breeze. The pair ride ATVs through the desert at twilight, making for some truly stunning visuals. Although Project Pat is credited as a contributor to the song, he doesn’t appear in the video, which is a genuine shame because when it comes to the aspects of Black culture highlighted above, he’s one of the top-ranking underrated icons of the Memphis rap scene and would make a tremendous addition to the video.
Negro Swan is out now via Domino Recording Co. Get it here.
