Texas-born Megan Thee Stallion gained a new legion of fans after the release of “Mamushi,” a cultural 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.
Megan Thee Stallion – Mamushi (featuring Yuki Chiba) [Official Video]
“Mamushi” caught on online and inspired a dance trend that Megan incorporates into the accompanying cinematic music video. Filmed in Tokyo, Japan, the video stars Megan and actor Shô Kasamatsu, known for his roles in several TV shows including “Tokyo Vice” and “Gannibal.”
Megan imitates a mamushi—a poisonous Japanese viper—in the video, which also features Yuki. Together, Yuki and Megan demonstrate a well-thought-out strategy for killing gangsters in a sultry Japanese spa. Megan uses the souls of dead gangsters to create an army of blue-painted henchmen in a scene directly inspired by 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 at Tsurumaki Onsen Jinya for the opening spa scene, while the second half of the video was set at Engaku-ji Temple.
