Ghanaian-Hungarian duo RedRed, aka Accra-born MC M3NSA and Budapest producer ELO, have shared a simultaneously playful and deeply serious music video for their new song "How Far," premiering today on THUMP. It is designed to coincide with Ghana's recent celebration of 59 years of independence from colonial rule, probingly questioning how much things have really improved in the current day.

ELO's production for the track alternates between a tense yet spacious, half-time 808 pattern and a more propulsive four-on-the-floor section making up the chorus, in a style the duo have previously characterized as "African Electronic Dance Music."

Meanwhile, the video finds the vocalist navigating the city and performing a number of different occupational roles, first seen as a civilian, then as a preacher, a soldier, and a doctor.

The lyrics deal with themes of political corruption and deteriorated infrastructure, asking, "What kind foundation we dey build give the kiddies demma future?" M3NSA critiques religion as a means of pacifying popular dissent, and chastises leaders for abusing their positions of power: "Gone are the days wey your big English go fit trick me/We no go fit send you make you go parliament den go snore! What for?"

M3NSA offered THUMP an extended explanation of the duo's intentions with the track via email:

"6 March, Ghana's Independence Day. The day Ghanaians stop and ask themselves if they're better off since gaining independence from their colonial masters or if it's all just a farce. And more often than not the answer is the latter.

"This is not because they would rather suffer under colonial rule, but because they mostly feel let down by their own chosen leaders.

"For the rest of the year there's no time for the average person to stop and deliberate over the state of the country because the constant battle with power crises, lack of running water, access to basic social amenities, and health care is enough to keep your hands full until next March, This is the 59th year.