Andrew Callaghan and his roving news organization Channel 5 are producing some of the most compelling independent journalism today. With the approachable absurdity of Andy Kaufman and the gentle empathy of Louis Theroux, Callaghan and co. produce on-the-street interviews that tease authentic responses out of their subjects filmed at chaotic gatherings across the United States (right-wing conferences, rap festivals, and protests are reliable locations). Often the interviews are hilarious and sometimes they’re heartbreaking, but you always know that you’re watching something you wouldn’t see anywhere else.
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Channel 5’s interview with Yeat, the rage rapper turned rising pop star, is definitely in the former camp. Callaghan is himself a rap lover and found himself backstage at last month’s Lyrical Lemonade festival, where Yeat performed a set. Before taking the stage Yeat spent a few minutes with Callaghan, and they were not wasted. There’s so much to unpack here: the Gregorian chant and nightmarish droning noise that soundtrack the video, the bit about vaping in schools, and Yeat’s daily intake of Frosted Flakes, to name a few. Do we learn many tangible facts about Yeat as an artist or a person? Maybe not. But rappers can be difficult to interview, and Callaghan has made me feel like I know a little bit more about Yeat without being able to articulate what exactly that is.
