Synopsis
Tricky appears alone in a series of stark urban locations, including a housing complex, a subway station, and a club-like interior. He delivers the song directly to camera while moving through corridors and public spaces, with the editing shifting between close-ups, wandering shots, and performance fragments. The Berlin setting creates a cold, dislocated atmosphere that suits the song's themes of fame, identity, race, and the uneasy transformation from "Tricky Kid" into a "superstar."
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was filmed in Berlin on December 4, 1996, and premiered in March 1997.
- The listed locations include the Pallasseum housing complex, Heidelberger Platz subway station, and the Metropol venue.
- The clip has a reported running time of approximately four minutes.
- "Tricky Kid" appeared on Tricky's second album, "Pre-Millennium Tension," released in November 1996. It was also included on the earlier US compilation EP "Tricky Presents Grassroots."
- The song credits Lionel Richie and Ronald LaPread because it incorporates material associated with the Commodores.
- "Tricky Kid" reached No. 28 on the UK singles chart, making it one of the stronger charting singles from the "Pre-Millennium Tension" period.
- "Tricky Kid" was the nickname given to Adrian Thaws during his youth in Bristol. The song turns that old name into a contrast with his new public identity as a recording star.
- The production credits list Melinda Nugent as film producer.