video premiere: yoruba heritage unifies ibeyi and brazilian mc emicida in the joyful “hacia el amor”

While Ibeyi were in Brazil touring their incredible sophomore album Ash this past winter, their paths had a chance crossing with Brazilian MC Emicida and their engrossing single, “Hacia El Amor” was born. “Sometimes you meet an artist and you don’t know why or how, but they instantly become part of your creative family,” Ibeyi tells AFROPUNK. “That’s what happened with Emicida. No need to speak for hours, the song came naturally, the energy was beautiful. Pure joy!”

Photo by Adilson MP

Recorded at the Lab Fantasma in São Paulo, Emicida’s hometown, the artists later reconnected in Paris, where Ibeyi live, to film this alluring visual shot by Christian Beauchet. A lyrical metaphor for breaking barriers, defying the notion of respectability politics by embracing the authenticity of the community, its landscape, and its people. Celebrating love.

“Yoruba culture came on ships that brought stories of much suffering, but they also brought stories of strength,” says Emicida. “This culture arrived in Brazil and also in Cuba and being a fruit of the African diaspora unites us directly to Ibeyi, to have this proximity to black religions, I feel that in this music we thank for our way and the light that we receive, for the rivers that guide and protect us and have made us believe that love is a medicine that can cure everything.”

See Ibeyi live at AFROPUNK Brooklyn this August.

HEA Mural shot by Maya_Zined