If you’ve been alive and well in the past day or two then you know it’s finally happened. Marwan Pablo finally quelled all those #PabloRage3 rumors and made his comeback in his viral hit, Ghaba.
Trending worldwide, the music video got to the point where some of us have been playing it on loop. It’s that good but there’s something else there — a whole lot of hidden clues and new theories that got everyone guessing.
And because we love nothing more than a good theory and catching killer clues, we’ve decided to round them all up for you!
Is the car scene a threat to Molotof or is it self-dissection?
This infamous bit has been the most talked about and for good reason. After all, it was only mid-last year that Molotof released a track with Marwan Pablo without telling the artist, prompting him to go on IG Live to explain that he was blindsided.
Naturally, everyone took this bit to be a dig against Molotof, featuring the same car he and Pablo were on…except this time Pablo is the only one walking and what appears to be clothes (maybe Molotof’s?) on the ground.
Another theory is perhaps Pablo is only killing his old persona, like he’d already done with his original Dama character.
Clear-cut parallels to Ard El-5of
This visual reference simply had the internet in a chokehold! The minute everyone clocked it, it was clear what the car scene visually called back to from the movements to the camera angles and the acting.
Pablo and the Pope
This theory took everyone by surprise but honestly it works. In the scene in question, we see Pablo standing as white smoke flows around him, which was something of a direct callback to the papal elections end with the announcing of a new Pope.
And since Marwan Pablo’s anticipated return came at the end of a full week for the Egyptian Rap scene, he could be very well announcing himself (or reminding us) as the “Pope” of the game.
A tale of two 7areef’s
Another visual callback for this scene is in the setting of the image itself, which at first or second glance may remind you of one iconic Mohamed Khan film — El-7areef. And the scene speaks for itself.
Callback to Kendrick (ft. more religious symbolism)
You just can’t miss this one. Visually, the reference to Kendrick Lamar’s Humble is simply unmissable. And with the context of Ghaba’s video, the reference has even more weight.
In Humble, Kendrick Lamar is dressed as the Pope and there’s white smoke circles of air to highlight him…much like Pablo does at another scene, securing his superiority over other rappers.
References to Travis Scott
Are you counting how many cars we’ve seen in Ghaba? Because the car scenes are a lot and they’re all full of sick visuals and occasional references…just like this shot, in which Pablo clearly references Travis Scott in his Rodeo album art.
Another car scene, another reference
And this time it’s a Childish Gambino in This Is America reference. And visually, it just works and meshes well with the Ghaba vibe.
King’s Dead…and Pablo’s the only one standing
Yes, so we’ve partially talked about this scene before but this bit is unmissable. In this scene, Pablo also visually calls back to the King’s Dead track and video…and notice how there’s only one man standing in both ends, with Pablo’s background being a billboard of crucified men, who are probably stand-ins.
The Gang Gang bit
Visually exciting and just aesthetically pleasing, Ghaba called back to Gang Gang in one of the most iconic bits of the music video.
