“In 1976, the South African Government declared a State of Emergency,” the opening titles announce. "For the next 13 years, schoolchildren adopted a campaign of resistance. Over 750 were killed, over 10 000 arrested, many more tortured and assaulted. This film is dedicated to them.”
War Ready draws parallels between the 1976 protests, today's #FeesMustFall movement and Nyovest’s own battle to succeed.
Along with the obligatory protest video images of police brutality, burning cars and Black Panther salutes, the music video is full of distinctly Kyle symbolism, from a mirrored, warping vulture to protestors in African masks.
War Ready has been hailed as “one of the year’s most powerful music videos” by The Times and as “a visual orgasm” by The Sowetan. The spot’s just featured on leading international trade Shots and trended across South Africa on Twitter.
Lewis worked on War Ready with his usual team of DOP Pierre de Villiers, editor Stephen du Plessis and make-up artist and stylist Kaley Meyer, with 2+3 handling the post production.
War Ready is Lewis’ second collaboration with Nyovest, who co-starred with Riky Rick and Anatti in Lewis’ music video for Fuseg, which has over 1.2-million YouTube views and was recently nominated for a South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Music Video. Lewis was also nominated last year for Tumi’s In Defence of My Art and won in 2014 for The Parltones’ Sleepwalker.
You can watch
War Ready here.