Texas-bred Megan Thee Stallion conquered a new legion of fans after releasing “Mamushi,” a culture-blending collaboration with Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba. The song was released as part of her latest, self-titled offering (her first effort as an independent artist), and received the special treatment after it unexpectedly became the breakout track of the 18-track set.
“Mamushi” caught fire online, inspiring a dance trend that Megan incorporates in its matching cinematic music video. Filmed in Tokyo, Japan, the video stars Megan and actor Shô Kasamatsu, known for his roles in multiple series including “Tokyo Vice” and “Gannibal.”
Megan channels a mamushi – a venomous Japanese viper – in the video that also features Yuki. Together, Yuki and Megan show off a well-minted strategy for killing gangsters in a sultry Japanese spa. Megan uses the souls of the dead gangsters to create an army of blue-faced minions in a scene that takes direct inspiration from director Akira Kurosawa’s 1990 film, “Dreams.”
The video was directed by Kevin “Onda” Leyva and produced by Tokyo-based creative company Push Japan. It was filmed in Tsurumaki Onsen Jinya for the opening spa scene, while the latter half of the video took place in the Engaku-ji Temple.
Megan’s success with “Mamushi” falls in alignment with her recent performance for Kamala Harris’ first campaign rally in Atlanta. The singer was also nominated for five MTV Video Music Awards — the most nominations of any hip-hop artist.
Watch the video for “Mamushi” below.
