This song features vocals from singer Jorge (aka Lee Morunga), with a guest rap from Mase, produced by Juse of the Woodcut Crew. It’s a R&B track, of the “relationship drama” subgenre, and the video is set in the unconventional location of an industrial dystopia, seemingly influenced by the film classic Metropolis.
This isn’t the first time a music video has used a setting like this. Back in 1995, D-Faction used a dramatic industrial setting for their “Down in the Boondocks” video in 1995. And, of course, Madonna’s empowerment dance anthem “Express Yourself” was set in a similar world – only she had semi-naked hot guy workers sweating it out.
The factory workers in the “2 Can” video are a lot more ordinary looking, like actual factory workers, not Herb Ritts models. As they clock in to the job, a sign warns “Do not let Woodcut infect your children with unsanctioned music!” No, the sanctioned audio is messages of productivity and prosperity. I can’t dance to that.
On the factory floor, someone has slipped Jorge some of that illicit Woodcut music, probably in one of those newfangled mp3 players. She secretly listens to it via an earpiece, but she’s spotted by Mase who has her taken away and threatens her with all sorts of alarming looking medical equipment.
The video ends with Jorge in a strange white room, suggesting she’s moved onto a higher state of consciousness, or perhaps she’s off at a dystopian day spa. It all seems rather bleak, but then the song isn’t much of a happy pill either.
It’s a very stylish, very good looking video. I’m going to assume it was not done with a huge budget (“Shot on mini DV using 5 people, some clothing changes and a bunch of beer,” says the director’s website), so it’s very impressive how much ordinary has been turned into spectacular. The video’s director was Dale McCready, who went on to do the cinematography on a bunch of television, including recent two Doctor Who episodes!
Best bit: Mase’s series of mad-scientist crazy faces.
Director: Dale McCready
Next… big smash.