On Pray for Haiti’s 11th track “Magnum Band,” Mach-Hommy tells us how one of his homies implored him to come down from Mt. Olympus. He obliged and one of his first stops was his hometown of Newark, New Jersey. For the second visual from his critically-acclaimed album, Mach gives us a glimpse of his lifestyle in a way we haven’t been accustomed to as he shows us the city that helped shape him.
“Picture niggas playing with my government and all that.” That’s what he ponders in the intro while surrounding himself in the “No Blood No Sweat” video with people who not only know his government but can vouch for the narratives and content in the music. A reminder of his authenticity, if you will. If you don’t believe him, the other faces you see throughout act as reinforcements. The images of cars doing donuts is also a nod to Newark rich car culture which was immortalized in the 1995 film New Jersey Drive.
And yes, that O.J. Simpson jersey coordinates seamlessly with the Haitian flag, but it also serves as a shoutout of sorts to Pray for Haiti’s executive producer, Buffalo’s own Westside Gunn.
Check out the video for “No Blood No Sweat” up top, and keep an ear out for more dumpin’.
