Arthur Jafa Directs Kanye West's 'Wash Us in the Blood' Music Video with Police Brutality Imagery

Arthur Jafa has directed a new music video for Kanye West's song 'Wash Us in the Blood' (2020), which serves as a preview for the rapper's forthcoming album 'God's Country'. The video features mobile footage of police brutality against protesters, clips from video games, COVID-19 patients in hospitals, and visuals of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, both victims of racially motivated killings this year. It also includes striking phrases like 'BLACK DEATH' and vibrant solar flares. This release is part of West's #WESTDAYEVER initiative, showcasing his latest endeavors. Earlier this year, Jafa expressed being 'really busy' collaborating with West during a conversation with designer Michèle Lamy. The video resonates with Jafa's 2016 film 'Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death', which was co-streamed by museums globally last weekend and features West's 'Ultralight Beam' (2016) as its soundtrack. ArtReview's Oliver Basciano recently analyzed 'Love Is The Message', emphasizing its complex emotional depth and the artist's broad empathy across all depicted subjects, while addressing systemic racism.