“Who’s the animals running this race?”
African-Australian rap artist and producer Chandler Jewels features on a track from creative agency Cocogun rebuking the Melbourne Cup.
'F*ck The Cup' is composed, produced and co-written by Jewels, with lyrics co-written by Cocogun's Ant Melde.
The video was directed by mp4Oscar.
Seven horses have died during the Melbourne Cup in the last decade, with many others being euthanised in related incidents.
Beyond the deaths of individual horses, the list of welfare concerns includes the culling of ‘uncompetitive’ animals. Animal rights activists also object to whipping and tongue ties, and say that racing can cause health issues such as bleeding from lungs and stomach ulcers.
Upwards of $223 million is also gambled on the Melbourne Cup every year, contributing to the $9 billion Australians lose betting on sports and racing annually.
Jewels said he embraced the chance to create a protest song about animal cruelty, especially the heartbreaking fate of horses after the Melbourne Cup.
"Music has the power to spark change, and I wanted to use it to bring to light the cruelty that’s happening," he said.
Melder said F*ck The Cup follows in the great tradition of musicians, from Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Paul Kelly to The Clash, Public Enemy, Midnight Oil and Kendrick Lamar, using their art as a force for change.
"Chandler’s track is a powerful contemporary addition to the protest song cannon. It’s designed to spark debate and agitate for change," he said.
F*ck The Cup is live from today on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and IHeartRadio.
Credits:
Writers: Chandler Jewels and Ant Melder
Composer/producer: Chandler Jewels
Cover art: Shev Tan, Mollie Starr, Loz Maneschi, Chris Clausen, Jimmy Williams
Vibe consultant: Lewis Clark
Video director: mp4Oscar
DOP: Adz Mov
VFX + colour: Macs Dona
Set design: Juin Cze
