Fans hoping for ASAP Rocky’s new “Babushka Boi” video to shed some more light on his recent experience in Swedish jail might end up disappointed. While there are some pretty clear references to how Rocky feels about the law, what with the jailbreak that opens the Nadia Lee Cohen-directed video and the representation of police as literal, cartoonish pigs, the video turns out to be more of a homage to the aesthetics of 1990 Dick Tracy movie, right down to the surreal makeup effects and bright colors.
In his alternate identity of “Babushka Boi,” Rocky leads his tommy gun-toting, 1930s gang in a bank heist and car chase, then to their hideaway, where they catch up on the news and share tea with some real babushkas. Eventually, they face off against their porcine opposition, coming out on top due to their better armaments. The video closes with a truly demented scene showing exactly how the gang gets rid of their evidence — hope you didn’t eat lunch yet.
“Babushka Boi” is Rocky’s first single and video since his trial for assault in Sweden. While he was eventually found guilty, his sentence was relatively mild: He just has to stay out of trouble the next time he visits the country — although, all things considered, he may just end up staying away altogether. The “humbling” experience hasn’t kept him away from hitting every stage he can, from headlining the Real Street Fest to making a surprise pop-out at Lowlands. With his European concert dates all canceled or postponed, he might be taking this opportunity to create some more new music to make up for it. Stay tuned.
