Octavian Is Sparking a Social Media Movement With His "Bet" Video
French-born, South East London-raised rapper Octavian has had a big year. To start, he won BBC's Sound Poll of 2019, a title previously held by Sam Smith and Adele, and collaborated with some of the most prominent producers in the US, including Diplo and Take A Daytrip. Coming off his biggest performance to date, headlining London's O2 Kentish Town Forum, Octavian is back with the video for his single, "Bet." Featuring internationally revered rapper Skepta and Michael Phantom, the video has already sparked an online movement with fans posting dance videos with the hashtag, "OKBETCHALLENGE." And, after watching the video, we might just have to do one of our own.
Directed by Armin Druzanovic, the video is shot completely in black and white, overexposed to create a striking overall effect. Animal imagery is heavy in the video, as a raven, rooster, and snake cutouts appear between shots of a girl twerking in a swimsuit and rabbit mask. If you weren't sure about watching it yet, that alone should push you past any points of uncertainty.
With the help of Skepta and Michael Phantom, the video has an addictive quality that can't be ignored, sparking virality with the simple nod of their heads. We saw the power of viral dance videos in 2013 with "The Harlem Shake," in 2015 with "Whip/ Nae Nae" and again in 2017 with "The Mannequin Challenge," Could the "Bet" video be the next big thing?
Check out the video for "Bet" below, and grab your tickets to the following Octavian shows before it is too late.
¾ - Dublin, Ireland @ The Green Room
3/2-5 - Malta @ Annie Mac Presents Lost & Found Festival
6/7-8 - London, UK @ Field Day Festival
6/8-9 - Manchester, UK @ Parklife Festival
8/16-18 - Tokyo, Japan @ Summer Sonic
8/23-25 - Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
8/23-25 - Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
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