Blvk H3ro time travels for Levi’s vintage Campaign
IN PROMOTING its new vintage clothing line, Levi’s has recruited the looks of Unga Barunga, wellknown producer and drummer of Notice Productions, along with up-andcoming reggae eccentric Blvk H3ro. “They just wanted a few images based on the film because their whole campaign was inspired by (the movie) Rockers – to make their vintage look like us. It’s really crazy because when it was happening, it felt like I finally got a chance to walk in the shoes and the clothes of the elders. It was like timetravelling,” Blvk H3ro told The Gleaner. The eclectically garbed singer said that the crew spent two days capturing the images. Better than being present in the nostalgic space, Blvk H3ro’s experience was elevated by the excitement of residents who came out to take in the vibe. “We were shooting in downtown Kingston, recreating the scenes from Rockers, so we went to some of the original spots where it was filmed. And because it was on a Sunday, everyone was out and getting excited. It feels good to get the opportunity to experience this,” he said. The Levi’s crew also visited a studio to stage a live freestyle session, giving a nod to Kiddus-I’s iconic recording of Generation In Zion in the film.
It is difficult to ignore Blvk H3ro’s own unique sartorial tastes and how well they align with the artiste’s public persona.
This chance to slip into the meticulously crafted look of the Levi’s Vintage Clothing FW18 Rockers Collection came as a welcome, and perhaps serendipitous, experience because his wardrobe has been built through ‘thrifting’. “I like vintage, one-of-a-kind pieces, the kind you only get at a thrift shop. My style is mix and match. If I have two pieces, then I just tie them together with a belt or something,” he explained.
His unencumbered approach to dressing himself stems from his mother, who is a seamstress. “I think I get it from her, because she always controls her own look.”
FASHION AND MUSIC
And all this on the heels of his new music. Last week, Blvk H3ro released Can’t Wait, his latest feature, in collaboration with Swing Ting, a record label and music production unit based in the UK. The song is featured on Swing Ting’s debut EP called Junction, which was released in December 2017 to critical acclaim. Shot earlier this year in Kingston and St Andrew, the video features cameos from other young Jamaican recording artistes and personalities like The Grei Show, Amelia ‘Milk’ Sewell, Riki, Esco, and Gavsborg and Kemikal from Equiknoxx.
Directed by Gareth ‘The Truth’ Cobran, Can’t Wait’s story carries Blvk H3ro and friends from the office, through the city, into the island’s lush interior, where they gather by the river for a cook out. The visuals premiered on major music platform RedBull Music to positive reviews for the crew and Blvk H3ro.
Produced entirely by Swing Ting’s Samrai & Platt, Junction features vocalists from Jamaica, Ireland, and the UK. Along with BlvK H3ro, singers Alexx A-Game and Shanique Marie of Equiknoxx Music make an appearance on the EP. Gavsborg (Equiknoxx, producer) also contributes to an interlude on the EP. Rounding up Swing Ting’s international collaborators are Gemma Dunleavy (Ireland), Tyler Daley, and Fox (UK).