Soweto’s rising stars, Twenty One Children, are on a mission to spread the hood gospel. With a gritty sound and buckets full of attitude and passion, the trio are unstoppable. Their new video for their single “Ice Cube” pays homage to a classic, but simultaneously succeeds in showing audiences who they are.
The track brings to mind some songs by Bad Brains, a feeling emphasised by certain nuances in how the punk anthem is delivered. Twenty One Children tick all the boxes, they’re nonconformist, they deliver fast tempos and distorted riffs to bring audiences into a space where punk is king.
The bouncy tune is named after rap legend Ice Cube and even borrows from his 1993 smash hit, “It Was A Good Day”. The catchy nod to the gangsta rapper is nothing shy of memorable. The embodiment of traditional punk with tinges of hip-hop culture are brilliant in merging the band’s influences.
Accompanying the song is a music video that serves as a tribute to the cult classic film, Friday. The trio can be seen playing the roles of the movie’s main characters, Craig, Smokey and Deebo. Sporting similar clothes to the characters, they play out scenes from the film in the band’s home environment, swapping out Deebo’s bike for a skateboard – on brand for a punk band from Soweto.
Speaking on the video, the band says, “We’re pretty ecstatic about it, it’s good to be able to have visuals for the song. People have had a great reception to the EP, and now they get to see the musicians behind it.”
“Ice Cube” is a clever meeting of the past, present and future, giving viewers a glimpse into who Twenty One Children are and what they have to offer.
