The music video for "Afrika Shox" by Leftfield uses the black protagonist as a metaphor for Africa. Scenes show the man being damaged upon first contact with white people, representing European colonialism damaging Africa. References include Frankenstein to represent how veterans were treated, and the destruction of the Twin Towers prophetically. Interactions that do more harm strengthen the metaphor of Western interference in Africa.

1. Use of media language in
“Afrika Shox”
Music by left field and Bambaataa
Directed by Billy Clayton

2. Goodwin's Theory
Characteristics of the Genre
The genre of the music video, Afrika Shoxs is immediately identified as
techno/electronic subtly by the first shot, the sirens and flashing lights of a
Police car. These identify the genre as electronic/techno is often associated
with bright lights and electronic sounds, much like the siren of a police car.
This scene establishes the genre as well as the sort of places that the genre is
likely to be heard, Nightclubs and raves, for example the Wonderland club in
Norwich, both of which often have bright lights around them, strengthening
the idea that the genre is electronic/techno.
Along with this in a later shot there is a security guard of some kind speaking
into a radio in time with the vocals and music, because of this it makes the
guard seem like he is a robot, which could be a symbol for western society
being robots that go about their every day lives without knowing or caring
about anything important happening in the world. The robotic sound of the
walkie talkie also links to the futuristic and dystopic of the representation of
New York and the sci fi genre, for example the Daleks from Doctor Who. It
could also be a metaphor for western automation or cold heartedness which
is shown throughout the music video as the people throughout the music
video seem to ignore the African man.
The security guard talking into the radio amplifies the genre due to it being in
time with the electronic voices of the music. This makes the music seem to
bleed into the “real world” that the music video shows. Along with this the
music video also has many metallic structures which also amplify the genre
because metallic colours and sounds usually dominate the soundtrack and
music videos of the genre. Also the jittery movements of the African man
further amplify the genre because of the dancing associated with the genre,
which is jittery movements.

3. Goodwin's Theory
Relationship between vocals and visuals
Despite there being very few lyrics the lyrics that there are
have links to the narrative that is being shown in the visuals.
For example the scene of the Guard talking into the radio.
This scene shows a link between the vocals and the visuals
as the guard speaks into the radio in time with the lyrics
being released. Again, this shot could symbolise western
automation and cold heartedness because the guard is
alone, which could mean that western society spaces itself
out from the rest of the world for security reasons. This
could also show that the western world has no time for
anything other than maintaining security within itself,
further reinforcing the idea of cold heartedness.
The lyrics of the first minute seem to end when the black
man hits the streets of New York, this could be a metaphor
for ethnic minorities not having a voice/say in the way
things are ran in the western world.

4. Goodwin’s Theory
Relationship between Music and Visuals
The music and the visuals have a loose connection between
them through the lyrics and the black ‘protagonist’ of the music
video. The relationship between the ‘protagonist’ and the music
seems to be a form of march as the tempo increases as he hits
the streets of New York. This could possibly be a reference to
Vietnam and the marching orders given to African-American
citizens at the time who were almost forced into fighting in
Vietnam.
The tempo of the Music increases the more damage is done to
the protagonist. This could be a obscure metaphor for a time
bomb as the time increases the faster and more likely the bomb,
in this case the black man, is likely to explode, which he does at
the end of the music video.

5. Goodwin’s Theory
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots
of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work
The music video has no close ups of the artists, leftfield, however there are many
close ups of the black man/protagonist within the music video. The replacement of
the artists in the music video creates a story for the black man/protagonist rather
than them. The black man/protagonist seems to be a strong metaphor for Africa,
which is reinforced by the title of the track, Afrika Shox. The metaphor idea is used
repeatedly throughout the music video. For example the first time the black
man/protagonist comes in contact with another person damage is done, which
could be a reference to European colonialism as the person he comes in contact
with is Caucasian.
Furthermore, another part of this metaphor of colonialism is shown when the
black man/protagonist meets some break-dancers, which are all white. This is a
metaphor for colonialism because breakdancing was originally created by African-
Americans and has been “colonised” by Caucasian people.
Another Motif what seems to recur regularly is images of things that are regularly
associated with America, New York in particular. For example The Twin towers and
taxi cabs. These images could be the motif within the music video despite the
artists being British. This motif could be a metaphor for Americas interventions in
Africa and Asia in wars like Vietnam, which is supported by the dog tags and jacket
the black man/protagonist are wearing.
The Twin towers being in the beginning of the video could also be used to further
strengthen the idea of American capitalism and exploitation of the 3rd world that is
shown as a possible idea that could be drawn from the video as no one seems to
care for the black man/protagonist that seems to be in military uniform from the
cold war, further supporting the idea of exploitation of the 3rd world.

6. Goodwin’s Theory
There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within
screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the
female body.
While not at the female body, the music video for Afrika shox is voyeuristic
towards the black man/protagonist. This can be seen repeatedly and is
noticed by a shaky camera, especially visible in the alleyway where he is
first met. This voyeurism seems almost ironic in the sense that no one else
seems to care for this person apart from the camera. This could be to show
how poorly America has been know to treat its war veterans, especially
from wars like Vietnam and Iraq.
The voyeurism expands through all of the music video by the camera
feeling like it in itself is actually a person, inviting us in the life of the black
man/protagonists life to see how poorly he is treated and exploited. Which
could be making a political statement against Americas cruelty towards
their veterans.

7. Goodwin’s Theory
There are intertextual references.
One reference made in the music video of Afrika Shox is to Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein. This is shown with the black man/protagonist. For example his
eyes are glazed over black and his limbs fall off like they were weakly sown or
put on him, like in Frankenstein. The idea that the black man/protagonist is like
Frankenstein's monster could be a reference in itself to how poorly the veterans
of Vietnam were treated when they returned.
Another idea that could be considered a reference is when the black
man/protagonist falls down. This could be a reference to the destruction of the
Twin towers. This is prophetic form of irony due to the attack taking place 2
years after the music video was created in 1999.
Another reference is to the history of Africa. Africa is being represented as the
black man/protagonist who gets damaged upon first contact with a Caucasian
person, which could be a metaphor for European colonialism. The idea of the
black man/protagonist being a metaphor for Africa is strengthened by the music
video itself when it makes Caucasian cast members interact with the black
man/protagonist more damage is done, which could be a statement about the
interference of Western nations in Africa is doing more harm than good.