Experimental hip-hop group clipping. created a powerful piece of music that goes far beyond a typical song. Their track is a profound exploration of history, memory, and survival. It blends sharp rhythms with a narrative that challenges listeners to think deeply.
This groundbreaking work was commissioned for a special episode of This American Life focusing on Afrofuturism. The group, featuring Daveed Diggs, crafted an immersive world through sound. Their lyrics build a haunting and hopeful story set beneath the waves.
The track draws inspiration from the mythology of Detroit techno duo Drexciya. It imagines an underwater civilization born from an unimaginable tragedy. This concept gives the music a unique weight and cultural significance, earning it a Hugo Award nomination.
More than just a listening experience, this piece is a bold artistic statement. It invites us to confront difficult pasts while imagining resilient futures. Let’s dive into the layers of meaning behind this captivating creation.
Key Takeaways
- The song is a work of experimental hip-hop by the group clipping.
- It was originally created for a 2017 episode of This American Life about Afrofuturism.
- The music tells a powerful story inspired by the Drexciya mythology.
- It explores themes of history, trauma, and resistance through an underwater world.
- The track received a Hugo Award nomination for its dramatic presentation.
- It stands as a significant cultural artifact within contemporary music.
Origins and Inspirations Behind the Song
The song’s foundation lies in a remarkable creative lineage that spans decades and musical genres. This artistic journey connects pioneering techno innovators with contemporary experimental storytellers.
Drexciya’s Afrofuturistic Vision and Legacy
Detroit techno duo Drexciya created an elaborate mythology in the 1990s. Gerald Donald and James Stinson imagined an underwater civilization born from tragedy. Their concept involved babies surviving after pregnant African women were thrown overboard from slave ships.
This powerful narrative was primarily conveyed through liner notes rather than the music itself. Their innovative way of storytelling influenced generations of artists.
| Artist/Group | Era | Primary Genre | Mythological Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drexciya | 1990s | Techno | Underwater civilization concept |
| clipping. | 2010s | Experimental Hip-Hop | Expanded narrative and soundscape |
| Parliament | 1970s | Funk | Motor Booty Affair aquatic themes |
Clipping.’s Creative Process and Media Crossover
When the group clipping. received their commission, they researched Drexciya’s catalog extensively. Members Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes decided to honor this legacy while adding contemporary perspectives.
Their previous album Splendor & Misery had already demonstrated their skill with science fiction narratives. This work earned a Hugo Award nomination the previous year. The success of Splendor & Misery established them as perfect artists to expand Drexciya’s mythology.
As William Hutson explained, different adaptations serve as “two different lenses through which one can access a single fictional world.” This creative approach shows how artistic visions evolve across media, as seen in later novel adaptations and other musical explorations.
Exploring “The Deep by clipping.”
Rivers Solomon’s novel expands the song’s mythology with profound psychological depth. This journey from music to literature shows how a powerful narrative can thrive in different forms.
Narrative Transition from Song to Novel
Editor Navah Wolfe was captivated by the track’s epic scope. She sought an author who could build upon its foundation. Rivers Solomon was the perfect choice.
Solomon’s book, published in 2019, centers on Yetu. This historian carries all ancestral memories for her people. Her personal struggle adds a new layer to the original story of survival.
The author explored themes that resonated deeply with the music. These included diaspora, ecological concerns, and the heavy weight of remembrance. This focus gives the novel its unique power, much like the meaning behind other impactful songs.
Lyrical Nuances and Musical Storytelling
In the original piece, Daveed Diggs’ delivery is a masterclass in storytelling. He begins with a slow, deep drawl, painting a picture of peaceful underwater life.
As the conflict with “two-legs” erupts, his pace quickens dramatically. The music’s tempo shifts mirror the rising action and emotional intensity. The repeated phrase “y’all remember” acts as a powerful anchor, calling listeners to a ritual of collective memory.
This compressed epic tale uses every element to serve its story. The novel, in turn, explores the mechanics of that memory-keeping in greater detail.
| Aspect | Song | Novel |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Collective action & survival | Individual burden of memory |
| Narrative Pace | Fast, compressed, action-oriented | Slower, introspective, psychological |
| Central Character | The Wajinru people | Yetu, the historian |
Cultural and Historical Impact
By reimagining one of history’s darkest chapters, this work creates space for healing and cultural reclamation. It stands as a significant contribution to Afrofuturist traditions.
Afrofuturism and the Reimagining of History
Afrofuturism uses science fiction frameworks to address complex relationships with technology and history. This genre offers powerful counter-narratives to predominantly white traditions.
The work transforms traumatic slave trade history into stories of survival. Descendants of those thrown overboard become heroes in an underwater world.
Reflections on the Slave Trade and Collective Memory
Historical practices during the transatlantic slave trade were brutally real. Enslaved people were treated as disposable property when deemed inconvenient.
This creation serves as an act of historical reclamation. It explores how communities preserve their past when violently disrupted.
| Theme | Historical Reality | Fictional Response |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Preservation | Lost cultural knowledge | Imperfect collective memory system |
| Resource Extraction | Historical exploitation | Two-legs drilling narrative |
| Survival Legacy | Intended destruction | Adaptive civilization creation |
The wajinru’s struggle with memory loss mirrors real challenges faced by diaspora communities. Their story becomes part of larger conversations about remembrance and resistance.
Final Reflections on a Timeless Narrative
What makes this project truly special is its recursive nature, where form mirrors content. Just as the wajinru people gather memories collectively, this story was built through collaborative effort. Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes all contributed to the final book.
This novel stands as an elegantly concise work despite complex origins. Jason Heller praised its “rhythmic and melodic grace.” The clipping. group hoped it would spotlight Rivers Solomon’s vibrant SF community.
Now the creative cycle continues full circle. New music inspired by Solomon’s book is in development. This artistic telephone demonstrates how resonant stories never stop generating new interpretations across different media.
FAQ
What is the story of "The Deep" about?
The story imagines an underwater society built by the descendants of pregnant African women thrown overboard from slave ships. These people, known as the wajinru, live in splendor and misery, completely cut off from the surface world.
How did the group clipping. get involved with this story?
The members—Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes—first created a song based on the Drexciyan myth. Their work was so powerful it inspired author Rivers Solomon to write a full novel, expanding the lyrical narrative into a rich science fiction book.
Is this song and novel based on real history?
While the specific events are fictional, they are a powerful reflection on the very real history of the transatlantic slave trade. The project uses Afrofuturism to explore themes of memory, survival, and reimagining a painful past.
What is the connection between the music and the book?
The album by clipping. came first. Its intense, experimental sound and gripping lyrics told a condensed version of the tale. Rivers Solomon then used that song as a jumping-off point to develop the characters, world, and deeper themes in their acclaimed novel.
What is the main message or theme of this work?
A central theme is the weight of collective memory and history. It asks how people carry the trauma of their ancestors and whether it’s possible to build a new life without being crushed by the sorrow of the past. It’s a story about finding a way forward.
