Nigeria's First Superhero: Keziah Jones Is 'Captain Rugged'
Behind the scenes of Nigerian Keziah Jones' video for "Afronewave," the first single of his upcoming 'Captain Rugged,' LP.
<p><strong>Keziah Jones</strong> has just launched the teaser video for "Afronewave," the first single off the upcoming <em>Captain Rugged</em>. It's a quick-paced funk track with a touch of afro-psychedelia from Keziah's 6th studio album, to be released November 4 worldwide.</p><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3b07f850aadcd373124c4d2c3277e360"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LrB50sMMYek?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>The song and album unveil Keziah's secret alter ego in the form of a Nigerian superhero, born and raised amidst the grit and hustle of Lagos city — one of the continent's most populous and notorious cities.</p><p><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/keziah-jones-captain-rugged-cape.jpg"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDM4NTkzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTg2MTU1MX0.EN3_HcQdPUspotUzzSO3D_4ZWw9s7EcofR8aMnHOFYM/img.jpg?width=980" id="ee749" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d46c9ad042ef9560b7a9400b2c9cb167" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></a></p><p><em>Captain Rugged</em> is a concept album to be sold along with a graphic novel chronicling Rugged's quixotic adventures thoughout the city. From his birth place in Makoko, the Nigerian slum version of Venice — an illegal water settlement on stilts within the Lagos lagoon — through the hectic bus stations of Obalende. The teaser clip also shows Paris-based, Nigerian-born street artist <strong>Native Maqari</strong> sketching scenes on-the-go, situating a comic book version of Captain Rugged in his element around the busy city.</p><p><div class="preroll-video"></div><ora-player></ora-player></p><p><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/keziah-jones-captain-rugged-afronewave-photographer.jpg"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDM4NTkzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Njg2MTkxOX0.sYrWv83sKuxbhH90LoOrmW5FKf3d56oij3k30hrc-nA/img.jpg?width=980" id="c0e2d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1bda1f2260415090521a8785e0d38892" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></a></p><p>The album graphics were the work of renowned Lagos-based painter and photographer <strong><a href="http://www.theprogressoflove.com/?p=174" target="_blank">Kelechi Amadi-Obi</a></strong>. He captures the journey of Rugged out and about in the busy marketplaces of Lagos — hanging out of public buses and cruising in his Ruggedmobile-rocketship while also revealing to us Rugged's secret penthouse lair atop an abandoned 17 story building in the heart of Lagos Island.</p><p><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/keziah-jones-captain-rugged-afronewave-andrew-dosunmnu.jpg"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDM4NTkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NzU0NTUzNX0.-KVz4BqX6XOqBoPxMY8ifIS0bMjZKDyqTWeMHMkqP_8/img.jpg?width=980" id="bc2ee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="140e8c1b33b7168e0046bd2db7208981" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></a></p><p>The "Afronewave" music video, dropping soon, was directed by New York-based photographer and filmmaker <strong><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/2013/01/16/african-films-at-sundance-2013/" target="_blank" title="African Films at Sundance 2013">Andrew Dosunmu</a></strong>, known for his screen work on <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/stories/interview-andrew-dosunmus-restless-city/" target="_blank" title="Interview: Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City"><em>Restless City</em></a> and <em><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/2013/01/16/african-films-at-sundance-2013/" target="_blank" title="African Films at Sundance 2013">Mother of George</a> —</em> winner of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Cinematography Award. He directed Keziah's video for "Long Distance Love" featuring <strong>Nneka</strong> in 2009 and has also done videos for <strong>Talib Kweli</strong>, <strong>Common</strong>, <strong>Maxwell</strong>, <strong>Angie Stone</strong> and <strong>Issac Hayes.</strong> The official vid for "Afronewave" premieres later on this month so watch this space and head <a href="http://www.keziahjones.biz/" target="_blank">here</a> for a free download of "Afronewave."</p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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