By Aaron Rodriguez

Watch this amazing animated vid where Taj Weekes roots out the the evil “Janjaweed” with the latest single off his album A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen.

To commemorate the birth of Southern Sudan, reggae artist Taj Weekes has released this stunningly beautiful video as a musical memorial to all those who have suffered at the hands of the mounted devils known as the Janjaweed. The video is done in a captivating style of animation that turns the story of the Janjaweed into a metaphorical tale about a botanical infestation that sweeps across the land. The depiction of the Janjaweed as a species of cancerous floral cyclops seems like something out of Dr. Seuss’s nightmares, but the fantastical images imbue the song with a semblance of grandeur, as if to say, “The Janjaweed are more than just criminals, they are a supernatural force of pure malevolence.” It’s an important reminder that amidst the joy and spectacle of South Sudan’s independence, there are still many wounds to be healed beneath the surface.