Johnny Ragga’s
new music clips to hit streets in couple of weeks
By Alemayehu Seife Selassie
The Ethiopian Reggae-Ragga Dance hall musician Johnny Ragga
is on the verge of completing his new music video that is expected
to hit streets in a couple of weeks. Johnny’s songs will
be included in an anticipated Next Music Video Collection.
Johnny Ragga has included his new single ‘Unfaithful Heart’
and a song from his début album Give Me the Key. The new
music clip collection that also features the US born Jazz singer
K-Alan, has over 100 Ethiopian actors including extras.
The artist is the producer of his new music clips, which has cost
him 23,000 Birr [~2600 USD] for two songs alone. “There
would be a whole video musical DVD that will have four of my songs
among other artists that would be released under my production
JAh Productions as well”, Johnny explained about his upcoming
plans.
Johnny’s song ‘Pick Up the Phone’ featuring
the London based artist Naomi Grage, and a new single ‘Unfaithful
Heart’ a song written and featured by K-Alan are already
complete. Two more songs from the reggae star himself Esat [Fire]
and Borsashina Kisé [your purse and my wallet] are in the
pipeline.
It has taken Johnny three months to complete his two clips. And
he was the director of the song Unfaithful Heart music clip where
as the Love and Dance film director Birhane Nugissie directed
his other clip Pickup the Phone.
The Ethiopian Basket Ball National Team, as well as young models
and beauty queens have been cast in the clip. And among the elements,
which made the cost of production, go high was the rigorous use
of camera crane, which was acquired on a 1500 Birr [~170 USD]
lease for a day. And the artist explains the hardship he faced
when making the video, “There were days where we took our
equipment and came back after no shooting.”
The places Sheraton Addis, Meda Lounge, Greek Club are some of
the places Johnny used in his music video.
In this lavish life depicting videos Johnny has used BMW X-5,
Mercedes Benz M-Class, and has agreed with Abyssinia Airways to
include a private jet. The artist is also planning on negotiating
with the two owners of Jeep Hummer truck to put them on his coming
album.
And he explains why the depiction of lavish life was necessary
saying, “We are trying to show a different life of those
people who are actually living it here in Ethiopia. Johnny also
explains why he has to use over 100 actors as opposed to the commonly
made video music clips where there are only the singer and his/her
lover saying, “The world is not just for you and your lover
there are other people around you too. You two are not the only
creatures here, so to make it look natural, we had to put all
those extras in”
The songs from the previous album by the artist have been remixed
in the new DVD. In this regard, Johnny has added another song
on Borsashina Kisé song and the two would be fused and
made into a new music video. “That song is about a gold-digger
so we have tried to create a lavish character and that is the
song we plan to use a private jet we have got from the good cooperation
of Captain Solomon of the Abyssinia Airways. We are also planning
on making the Esat music video on the Ghetto. The mixed song will
show a woman who is in love with the items that her lover buys
for her than the lover himself’, continued Johnny.
For his previous music video Johnny’s album manager, and
video music editor was Aida Ashenafi and he states that he has
loved the first clip Habeshawi at the time of its release. And
when the album title Give me the Key was made he was more excited.
But now he is more impressed with the new clips.
Johnny’s Jah Production will release the promotional CDs
starting from next week. The songs that are going to be distributed
will be on the artist’s Johnnyragga.com website as well.
June 15, 2007
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