When North London singer-songwriter King Kofi debuted in 2018 with “Amy Told Me”, his soulful indie style was delivered with a noticeable rap influence, at least on the production, but in the years that followed that’s been paired back to the sound we find on his latest single, “White Boys”. Delivered with an understated charm, Kofi’s new single packs a powerful punch and presents us with some pretty devastating songwriting.
“White Boys” deals with the sad and all-too-common reality that a lot of people are immediately dismissed as potential partners because of their skin colour. It’s a heartbreaking subject—“she says she only likes white boys, she only wants me when she’s on that white noise”—but Kofi lays it all out with a seen-it-all-before wryness that makes his frustration that bit more palpable.
Fittingly, the visuals from director Rob Bell, keep things simple with a one-shot scene of Kofi, partially submerged in a bath of what looks like milk. Keeping his head just above the surface, it’s only at the end that he becomes completely submerged under the creeping whiteness.
Speaking on “White Boys” King Kofi said: “The song’s lyrics are partly based on my own experience. I’ve met girls where they have implied they have a certain preference without saying it outright. But for the most part the song is a commentary on the world that I’ve observed around me.”
