Gorillaz help introduce British rapper AJ Tracey in one of the most fitting song choices for a US debut as they drop by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform the song “Jimmy Jimmy” from their new EP, Meanwhile.
“Jimmy Jimmy” is built around a sample of the 1979 punk hit by Northern Ireland band The Undertones, with Gorillaz’s low-fi interpolation making the song song eerie and ominous. The pre-recorded performance reproduces the post-apocalyptic aesthetic of the EP’s visual components, taking place at an apartment building in front of a brooding sky. Tracey appears throughout, delivering his raps directly to the camera as the saturation levels wobble in and out of control.
Gorillaz, meanwhile, are set to appear on an upcoming collaborative album from Elton John titled The Lockdown Sessions, while Damon Albarn has said that he’s working on a scripted film featuring his cartoon band. “We signed contracts, we’ve begun scripts and stuff,” he explained. ” I see a lot of people doing animated videos these days but I don’t think they really touch the quality of ours. We’re more in the world of Studio Ghibli.”
Watch the Gorillaz perform “Jimmy Jimmy” with AJ Tracey on The Tonight Show above.
Gorillaz are a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.