"Di Plane Land"

Video: Richie Spice: "Di Plane Land"

"Di Plane Land" is not a tune about leisurely taking a trip, it comments on airport security. The tune is a straight-up complaint about the way in which customs officials question certain people quite a bit more intensely than others. Director Rhona Fox begins the video with a false news report about airport seizures and ends with a direct statement about racial profiling. Richie Spice-- born as Richell Bonner into a rather musical family including both Pliers of "Chake Demus and" fame, as well as Spanner Banner-- complains about unfair interrogation as articulately as he commented on poverty in the amazing "Earth a Run Red".

Though this is not as good as previous hits, such as the aforementioned "Earth a Run Red", as well as "Brown Skin" or "Youths So Cold", the tune does seem to improve upon repeated listening. And, it's a reminder that Spice's trademark vocals (including the repeated "yeahs")-- recently showcased by dubstep remixes-- come out on top on the straight one drop.

[from Gideon Boot, out now on VP]

Posted by Erin MacLeod on Thu, May 15, 2008 at 9:45am