Prism Prize Eligible Video: Haviah Mighty Ft. Clairmont the Second - Smoke

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The 2020 Prism Prize for Best Canadian Music Video was awarded to Peter Huang, for his clip for Jessie Reyez's Far Away. We will continue to profile noteworthy Canadian videos, including this one featuring two acclaimed stars of the Toronto hip-hop scene.

Haviah Mighty Ft. Clairmont the Second - Smoke

The Polaris Prize-winning Haviah Mighty is no stranger to singing about her upbringing and what makes her, her. The same goes for Clairmont the Second, and when you put the two together you get a track full of lyrics you can feel deep in your heart and soul. Both acclaimed artists are from Toronto, and they use their experiences in life to craft something touching and meaningful for an audience to take in and appreciate. 

Haviah’s song and video for Smoke talk deeply about her experiences being a black hip-hop artist in Canada. “Smoke manifested from the underdog experience," Mighty explains. "As a female in Hip-Hop, and as a black female in Canada, it often feels like I’m fighting the stereotypes and history that precedes me – fighting the ignorance – fighting the negativity – to be recognized as regular, as equal, and be given a fair chance in all facets.

"None of these preconceived ideas match what I feel within me, but I still remind myself of not only societal stigmas, but other people’s stigmas, and how that shapes their perception of me. How the hardships that blacks sometimes face, shape others’ perceptions of us. And how, despite all the noise and ignorance, there is no one who can truly identify the ‘shape’ of you, but you. This song is to empower those in their self-affirming thoughts, and in the moments of necessarily reminding ourselves of our greatness. In this day in age, where we talk about ‘drama’ as smoke, I approach it from the opposing angle – let’s avoid that. Let’s just live, and be.”

Director: Jon Riera

Executive Producers:  Combo Bravo, Breathe Entertainment

Producers: Scott McCuaig, Connor Illsley

Director Of Photography: Liam Higgins

Hair/Makeup Artist & Choreography: Omega Mighty

Assistant Makeup - Kizzy Courtney

Dancers - Renee Dennis, Chanel Anderson, Omega Mighty

Lighting Director: Gideon Ayesu

Lighting Tech: Victoria Fernandez-Gabica

Editor: Noah Kendal

Colourist: Kassi Bellamy For Darling

1 St Assistant Director: Aidan Shipley

2nd Assistant Director: Pari

Production Assistant: Gavin Quinn

Production Assistant: Andrew Kulidjian

1st AC: Cameron Gonzales

Key Grip: Sam Holling

Production Designer: Eva Kozlova

Art Assistant: Brad Capstick

Studio: Astrolab