I can't entirely justify my affection for this song or this video.

I mean, I gotta figure that there are angry anthropology and cultural studies majors, across the Western world and beyond, dissing Diplo (the white guy who organized Major Lazer) every time it's term paper time.

And with good reason.

But hey--Diplo still has to bow down before Rihanna even when she dismissed a track of his as "reggae at the airport" so, it's not like he's in charge of music. Plus Rudimental is part of it, and I adore Rudimental; I've got nothing against Anne-Marie; I'm not such a global hipster that I'm like oh yeah that guy Mr Eazi, whatevs; and a lot of incredible people got to cash a check from this video and/or this song, and maybe some publicity for what they do.

Amazingly, Ladysmith Black Mambazo have a vocal moment in this joyfully shambolic collage of a pop song, which feels like a cheeky "whassup you gotta problem wi that" nod to any critics of cultural appropriation. LBM sort of famously got their start on the international stage from Paul Simon. Who for all of you children who may not be aware, was like Diplo for baby boomers, except with better lyric-writing skills and less political consciousness.

So, I dunno, probably one doesn't want to make a habit of this kind of thing. But, enjoy it for a moment, because hey, it's a mega-meta-global-youth-anthem with a generic message any kid can get behind. I mean, other than a kid majoring in anthropology or something.

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A post-script: here's a different Rudimental video without Diplo involved. Given that Rudimental is also commercially huge (at least in the UK and Europe!), working in a related musical space, and always relies on vocal collaborators, the two videos are like a tutorial in the difference between cultural collage or appropriation on the one hand; and multiculturalism on the other. And yes, I'm an unabashed Rudimental fan.