Mistah Wilson Reviews "Folded" music video by Khelani "It Was Cringe"

"I don't feel like tha music video did tha lyrics any meaningful justice."

I was riding on the Los Angeles County jail bus coming to and from court. The bus drivers would put on the radio for us to listen to during the ride. The sound quality isn't always great. So, as we were riding down i5 South before dawn headed to the court holding tanks in downtown LA, I heard Khelani's song "Folded" come on. Because we were on a bus, I couldn't quite hear tha lyrics to tha song, but I remember tha beat instantly stood out to me. It made me pause and think about everything I was missing out on while being locked up. My first reaction was that tha beat was hard! I didn't know who tha artist was when I first heard it, but I knew it was definitely new music. As we rode on, I enjoyed tha music, figuring I'll find out who tha artist is at some point. 

When I got out jail, I would tap in to see who tha artist was. It was Khelani. I had only heard of Khelani up to this point. I only knew of her from hip hop instrumentals where producers would label their beat "Khelani-type beat". That told me she must be some type of soulful singer. All in all, tha song is decent. Her lyrics are pretty good and her voice matches her aesthetic. But, and you know there is always that "but" lol, I have a much different take on her music video for "Folded".

Now, before I go in, I want to make it clear that this is in no way a shot against Khelani. She put out a quality product and I don't want to subtract from that. At tha same time, there is value in honest opinions. And when it comes to mainstream music, no one is exempt. 

So, soon enough, I would watch the "Folded" music video by Khelani. For me, it was like, let me get a good look of what she actually looks like because I didn't have an image of her in my head tha same way I would a Faith Evans, Mary J Blige, or Monica. Upon watching tha music video, it was refreshing to actually hear tha song, observe her concepts, and experience tha finished product after not being able to hear tha song in its entirety while I was on that jail bus. And, I'm afraid to say, while tha song is good, tha video had me cringing a bit. 

So tha video opens up with people in line at tha cleaners. Khelani is behind the register dealing with customers when tha camera pans to her. When tha camera pans to her, she looks in tha camera only to point to a door where her music video performance was taking place. I just feel like tha opening scene of this video over-conceptualizes tha song itself, giving it tha appearance that it is deeper than it actually is. When tha camera pans into tha opened door room where Khelani and crew start dancing, it just made me feel like tha video was more about glorifying Khelani's sexuality than it was about tha subject matter of tha song. The video came off like this was Khelani's long-anticipated chance to flaunt her sexuality to tha world. It almost feels like she is saying, "hey, guys look! I'm sexy, too!" lol .. sometimes I can be too self-conscious for my own good lol. It just felt like showcasing her sexuality was tha ulterior motive to tha song. Because, in real life, she probably hasn't had a relationship that would warrant a song this deep. But, admittedly, that is just me being rhetorically speculative. 

I felt like tha subject matter of tha song warranted a music video where she would be singing in isolation; in a room in a house somewhere letting her soul cry to tha man she is referring to in tha song. You know, real R&B type shit. Maybe have a scene in there where she is singing her heart out in tha shower. Maybe a scene of her actually taking clothes out of the dryer and folding them lol. And perhaps maybe a scene where whatever man she is referring to plays a cameo. See, in tha 90s and early 2000s, singers and rappers would go tha extra mile to give their music video a storyline. Kind of like how Nelly did with "Dilemma" featuring Kelly Rowland. There was roleplaying, pauses for quick action scenes, and a final scene that would wrap it all up in one beautiful production.

Don't get me wrong, tha actual production-caliber of Khelani's "Folded" music video is still top notch. It was well shot and edited, and I'm no dance buff but her choreography was on point, too. It's just that, for me, tha video as a whole feels like it fell short of it's full potential from a visual perspective. Meaning, it felt more like a preemptive encore than it portrayed tha lyrics of tha song. There, I would put it like that: I don't feel like tha music video did tha lyrics any meaningful justice. And I don't say that Khelani was flaunting her sexuality as if she isn't sexy as she thought she was. Khelani is definitely a cutie pie. The video just gave me tha "ok, its my turn now" vibes from Khelani. The video makes her come off as a little thirsty. The song is too good for an exhibition-type performance. The song deserved cameos and roleplaying, not merely a dance performance showcase. Perhaps both, but not without tha other.

As for tha song itself, I think it is an instant classic. It is a song I would add to my playlist. It is not a song that would come on and make me want to change tha radio station. I'd say tha song itself has moderately high replay value, and could definitely hear it being synced commercially for years to come. Big shout out Khelani for dropping this classic. I would just tell tha video guy, fam, it deserved more story. These are my opinions, and my opinions are my own.