Music Insights
VIDEO VIEWS BY JC: Injury Reserve – Jawbreaker (Feat. Rico Nasty & Pro Teens)
The experimental Pop Rap group you’ve never heard of released a new video speaking directly to the Instagram generation, and they’re not mincing words. Jawbreaker by Injury Reserve is a straight on look at a streetwear fashion show, featuring their characteristic deadpan lyrical style over a minimalist musical score that sounds like it was created on a rainbow xylophone made for infants.
Equal parts a tongue in cheek critique of hypebeast culture and a sincere commentary on mental health in the social media age, the video is simultaneously light hearted and startlingly cutting. Popular bad girl rapper Rico Nasty exemplifies this in her powerful verse:
You know that you’re a black girl, right?
Your hair’s ‘sposed to be sewed in, not spiked up?
I do what I want, not whatever gets the likes up (…)
But I’m way too liked to die, so often express myself (…)
Mama said, “Don’t go broke tryna feel yourself”
Mama said, “Don’t break tryna build yourself”
And don’t feel ashamed if you need some help
‘Cause we all do, ’cause we all lose
After receiving some backlash, director of Jawbreaker and Injury Reserve’s producer Parker Corey had this to say in a tweet, taking a quick side-step away from the serious elements in the video: “So many experimental pop songs are really heady themes and textures tucked into catchy packages but I think Jawbreaker is the inverse of that, it’s simple flexing ‘I dress better than you’ s— just presented in a challenging way.” Jawbreaker is the first single off Injury Reserve’s upcoming self-titled debut LP, and if this video is any indication, it’s sure to make waves.