I find behind-the-scenes clips of music videos and movies quite interesting, seeing the hard work producers and directors have to put in to get the final product.
Little is known of the guys behind the cameras, or of the challenges artists sometimes have to go through to put together an attractive, memorable music video for us.
In November last year, G-Boy, AKA Babji set out to record his very first music video. But the series of events that took place on that day, is a story he lives to tell.
“We were to do two scenes, one at night and another during the day. So we decided to do the night scene first, on a Saturday, and the following day finish up with the rest, “says G-boy.
The team managed to put together the night scene well, but little did they know what awaited them on their way home.
“It was almost midnight when we managed to finish recording scenes for the first part. Braxx and I escorted the director to take a matatu to his place, and we decided to walk the few miles to our respective homes. There were a few people on the road, which kinda gives you a sense of security at that time of the night.”
A few meters ahead, there was a dark bend that they had to pass through. From where they were, they could see two men standing at that spot, which looked strange, as it was deep into the night and the few people in the vicinity all seemed to be walking home.
“We decided not to use that bend. But just at that moment, the guy who was walking ahead of us stopped and pulled out a pistol, and pointing it up to the sky, asked us, ‘Majamaa, mnajua hii ni nini?’”
G-Boy’s music partner Braxx did not immediately identify the weapon, and at first he thought it was probably just a fan trying to engage them in a game as it usually happens during the day. This, however, prompted the attacker to point the gun at Braxx’s neck.
“There was a man who had been walking behind us. He immediately began searching our bags and pockets. They made away with our phones, bags, and cash. Basically, everything we had on us apart from the clothes on our bodies.”
This experience was just the beginning of the drama. The following day after being robbed, G-Boy and Braxx were unable to record the day scene as they couldn’t communicate with the rest of the team.
“The team had not received any communication from us and so they did not show up the following day for recording. We had no money to access the location we had agreed to shoot the video and ended up doing it at a local place. I had invited a friend to feature in the video as Braxx’s mother, of course she didn’t show up. We requested Braxx’s aunt to take her place, but then again, she had not prepared for this whole thing. Everything had turned upside down.”
Getting the final product together ended up costing them way more than they had budgeted for, and with a lot more work put in.
G-Boy however is happy to note that he learnt his lessons from this experience, and despite the challenges, they managed to put amazing video together.
“I have recorded other songs apart from Thanks for That, the collabo with Braxx. I have Vipi Ni Rise, which was my very first song, and also Off Ma Feet and there’s Sugar featuring Billionaire All Stars.”
We never get to hear of such stories, as we are only recipients of the final product. Maybe next time you are surfing through the interwebs, check out behind-the-scenes clips of music videos and movies. Some are outright funny, others totally unbelievable, while others, well, ‘utaona vile hawa watu hutubeba ufala’.
Where’s the video in the story? HERE it is
