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Santigold Takes Aim at Society, Dodges GZA’s Bullets in ‘The Keepers’ Video

“America is not the greatest country in the world anymore,” declared Jeff Daniels’ character in the pilot episode of HBO’s The Newsroom, and at the moment, Santigold probably agrees with that assessment. “The Keepers,” Santi’s third video off her SPIN Essential new album Master of My Make-Believe, offers up a harsh criticism about the current state of things, from being desensitized by YouTube videos to glossing over social injustices. Directed by Santi White herself, the video evokes the classic films of Douglas Sirk and David Lynch, two auteurs who specialized in focusing on the decrepit underbelly of the seemingly idyllic suburban lifestyle of the 1950s.

The family in “The Keepers” is happy feasting on their radioactive suppers and watching infomercials. That is, until Wu-Tang’s GZA and his gang flood the home with drive-by gunfire, literally shattering their peaceful existence… for about a verse, after which the family dusts themselves off and resumes their meal. The instantly addictive chorus “We’re the keepers, while we sleep in America, our house is burning down” pretty much sums up the theme of the video: Society is okay with the downfall of our nation or GZA shooting the milkman as long as it doesn’t interfere with primetime television. Who knew criticizing America could be so catchy?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xpn8xNW-sfs