Dancehall artiste Valiant dropped the music video for Ugly on Friday, two months after previewing the song. The track, produced by DJ Mac, praises men who are popular with the ladies despite not fitting conventional standards of attractiveness.
Valiant, who often playfully refers to himself as ‘ugly,’ suggests in the song that women are drawn to men who might rank low on the scale of physical appearance for reasons he explores throughout the track.
He boasts about living a lavish lifestyle as well as engaging in illicit activities that solidify him as a gangster. He suggests that these factors contribute to his appeal among women.
As the song continues, it becomes increasingly raunchy. There are explicit sexual lyrics, and the visuals show women performing risqué dance moves. He continues to boast about his intimate encounters with the most attractive women, despite referring to himself as an ‘ugly man.’
The vibrant music video begins with a masked man collecting a reward and continues with shots of women. Valiant can mostly be seen vibing with the ladies and later flexes his style as he poses for a photoshoot. More scenes show everyone dancing, including the video vixens who are dressed in provocative outfits.
Ugly has been garnering positive feedback from fans since its release. Some fans have particularly praised the bold energy and catchy beat. Many were hyped about the lyrics and called the song a “banger,” celebrating its relatability, especially among those who identified with the “ugly man” theme. Many fans appear to enjoy the song’s cheeky confidence.
Others also showed that they fully embraced the gritty vibe and hailed Valiant as an artiste pushing boundaries. DJ Mac’s production was also praised by fans. Some supporters also dropped fire emojis and left comments that exclaimed “Fully Diplomats!”, signalling their allegiance. A few critics weren’t impressed, labelling the song “wack” or “not it”, but the overall response has been mostly positive.
