From Gates of Hell to City of God

It may have been a case of poverty porn, but it wasn't. This music video by the four-piece British drum and bass group Rudimental set in Manila, uses a similar narrative to the film, City of God (Cidade de Deus) of two boys growing up amidst the squalor of a large metropolis. It was meant to be inspired by the life of bboy champion Mouse and his older brother.

Though perhaps a far cry from the early days of d&b and more in keeping with the formula for pop songs these days, the UK chart toppers have produced something that is truly soulful and way better than any of the stuff French DJ David Guetta puts out, with more street cred than anything Will.i.am or the Black Eyed Peas offer.



The portrayal of Manila's ghettoes in the latest Dan Brown novel Inferno sparked controversy as it alluded to the "gates of hell". Local officials joined with clerics outraged over the portrayal of the Roman church in Dan Brown's other novels in denouncing the book. This of course only helped in boosting its sales to the dismay of critics who find it appalling for totally different reasons.

All this amidst a push by the government to increase the country's tourism revenues with a campaign entitled, "it's more fun in the Philippines". Rather than calling it the gates of hell, one official said the city is more of a paradise on earth.

What the music video clearly shows is that one often needs to go through hell to get to heaven. The protesters of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro where City of God was shot and who fear the slowing Brazilian economy will produce stagnation or even reversals in their standard of living would probably agree.

The gleaming towers in the distance surrounded by a sea of ramshackle homes representing the huge disparity that exists in most mega cities in emerging economies provides a poignant backdrop to the song which is an anthem for people struggling under the weight of this malaise, a reminder for them to remain steadfast.

Like the title of the track suggests, the great thing about the human spirit is its resilience in the face of public and societal failure to address their basic needs. "Not giving in" would perhaps be a better, more authentic tagline and accompanying soundtrack for the Philippines, than what any slick ad or PR firm can concoct.