B.A.P 'BADMAN' - Is There Underlying Socio-Political Commentary?

B.A.P has officially released their music video for "Badman" along with the mini-album of the same name.

Fans have been eagerly waiting for the release, particularly following the group's other summer releases "Coffee Shop" and "Hurricane."

While the former marked a rather tender comeback for the dynamic boy group, the latter was a continuation of the music style and delivery that has made B.A.P popular around the world.

Now the latest track brings the members and their fans to a dark place with aggressive lyrics and booming bass.

It is definitely a good song, a solid release for the group, but the music video has some of us scratching our heads.

The imagery portrayed in the "Badman" video is dark, violent, and full of socio-political content.

It is important to note that B.A.P filmed the music video in the ailing midwest city of Detroit, a city that already has a pretty nasty reputation for crime and poverty.

A lot of the scenes in "Badman" reflect the ongoing struggles of the people in Detroit - people who, on a daily basis confront racism, violence, and the deterioration of infrastructure.

Whether it was intentional or not, "Badman" addresses not only the problems within the Michigan city, but also the negative stigma it has from an outsider's perspective.

From the opening scenes, it is easy to see that race will have a dominant role in the video. B.A.P leader Bang Yongguk is featured in the middle of what is about to erupt into a large-scale battle between the police and the citizens wearing facepaint that has colored one half of his face black and the other white.

Detroit has a long and violent history of race relations, particularly involving the police, so it is difficult to overlook this costuming decision.

The video also addresses the theme of gun crime in the city. Detroit has one of the highest rates of gun-related deaths in the country, an issue that fuels the never-ending cycle of violence.

And going back to the race issue, it is also interesting to note that the two men involved in the alleyway deal that resulted in one being gunned down were both African-American.

When the "Badman" video is not showing a bloody fight scene with police savagely beating citizens in the streets, the group's members can be seen dancing inside a run-down building - once again making a pretty strong statement about the current situation in Detroit.

The city has recently declared bankruptcy after years of losing population, and thus tax revenue, forcing many once noble landmarks to go uncared for and thus crumbling into disrepair. The once thriving city is not a graveyard for abandoned buildings and failing infrastructure.

Take a look in the background of many of the scenes in "Badman" and you will see overwhelming evidence of this.

It is unclear whether B.A.P intended to raise such issues in their music video, but choosing to film "Badman" in Detroit in the first place is telling enough of the general perception of the city.

This is, however, not to wrongfully suggest the B.A.P members are for sure trying to make socio-political commentary with the music video (as with the misinterpretation of an Instagram photo posted by G-Dragon that was mistakingly connected to the recent Travyon Martin murder trial), but it is interesting to consider.

Whatever the real meaning and intention behind the "Badman" music video may be, it is a strong song and another solid release from B.A.P.

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What are your impressions of B.A.P's "Badman"?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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