Ghana: Rocky Dawuni releases video for Neva Bow Down single

‘Neva Bow Down’ was published by Aquarian Records. It is Dawuni’s first single since his nomination for Best Global Album for Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1 at the 64th Grammys earlier this year. It features Jamaican act Blvk H3ro, popular for his ambitious modern reggae sound which has earned him collaboration with the likes of Bunny Wailer, UB40, Equiknoxx and Skillibeng.

The clip, directed by Sling Shot HD, arrives two weeks after the song was released and it features captivating protest scenes that have come to characterise rebel music over the decades.

Sonically, the Bob Riddim-produced record deploys elements of pop, dub and reggae for the meditative protest anthem, which explores the current state of global affairs and our collective power to change the course of history. According to the artist, it serves as an inspiration for people to stand up for what is right and true. 

​“In a time when our world is at a crossroads with systems and society confronting fundamental changes,” Rocky Dawuni said. “There is a crucial need to speak truth to power, to challenge the status quo and to inspire people to find the courage to create a restorative vision of the future that defends the core essence of who we are as human beings and our interconnectedness to nature.”

​​Rocky Dawuni straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas to create Afro-roots, which fuses elements of reggae, Afrobeat, highlife and soul. As an activist, he has been a leading voice for social and environmental transformation and currently serves as UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa. 

The artist appears on Ghanaian folk singer and guitarist Kyekyeku’s Funky Pangolin album in the single ‘Africa Till I Die’, which is centred on a constant obligation to defend their affection for the continent in the face of constant negative media framing.