While his roots are grounded in the Kingston community of Craig Town, Elihu Morris was always aware of another side to his heritage. Through his maternal grandmother, his ancestors are from India, which inspired his recent visit to that country.
Morris shot the video to his song, ‘On Your Side of Town,’ in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state. He does not know where in India his grandmother’s family are from but chose the city for his first visit to the country.
“I am always thinking out of the box, and when I was in my youth I always know that I am African, Jamaican and Indian, so as I got more mature I realized that I had to find my balance. That would give me more clearance of knowledge about who I am, so I can give more of me in my work,” Morris explained. “So, the reason why I chose Kolkata, because it’s the city of joy, and I thought it was perfect to get this video done there.”
‘On Your Side of Town’ is co-produced by Morris and Andrew “Andrew Bassie” Campbell, a veteran musician with whom he has collaborated on many songs. He spent 10 days in Kolkata, not only filming its video, but soaking up Indian culture.
Morris and his team were determined that the visual should project his diverse heritage. “My impression of India was like I had been there before. But also, I felt a sense of belonging, like I was in a movie, of a real life that was scripted beyond me, while feeling at peace with a purpose,” he said.
Elihu Morris has lived in the United States since his teens. He currently resides in Boston.
