Music Videos
Ace Hood Yearns For Liberation in Heart-Wrenching “Free” Video
Making his name with invigorating turn-up anthems before choosing a new path, Ace Hood is determined to use his insight and his influence to help people like him. In his new video “Free,” Ace examines some common hardships faced by Black men, and dreams of a way the world could be different. Using an addictive, conversationally melodic flow over a whirring synth beat and stadium-sized percussion, Ace astutely summarizes a litany of problems–from gun violence, to police brutality, to poverty and hunger–and empathizes with those less fortunate than he: “You can’t save me from my darkness/You can’t save me from myself/In this world one can become heartless/When your skin tone makes you a target/I just wanna be free.”
“Being free to me is living in an unconditional space rather than the conditional state,” says Ace Hood. “To me, freedom is the mastering and understanding of self. To not be bound by any label.”
Directed by Alex Heider of Good Boy Films, the video for “Free” positions Ace as a fly on the wall as three individuals experience situations that test their character: Police assault a young Black man–wielding nothing but a cell phone–as he takes a break from his shift at work, a Black man on a date with a white woman resists the impulse to commit violence when two suspicious bar patrons accost him, and a young child painfully witnesses his loving mother in an abusive relationship. Ace dons a white priestly raiment and welcomes the three characters to a world where they can finally be free.
“We all struggle with understanding ourselves and we all process things very differently, but it’s important to remember that we are not our experiences,” says Ace about his new video. “These things happen to us so we can learn to feel, adapt, and rise above. Hopefully, those lessons can help us create and model the change we would like to see in the world. In the ‘Free’ video, I lay down on the test table as the old me and rise as the new. This is me recharging and shifting into a higher form of myself, but as that happens, I start to experience traumatic memories that are subconsciously happening in my mind.”
“Free” is a highlight track from M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die), a new EP. Featuring recent singles like the boldly aspirational, “Glory,” and the glowingly self-assured, “Little Light,” M.I.N.D. marks a fresh, new start for Ace, with lyrics that reflect the mentality required to confront personal and generational trauma. A ten-track effort filled with thought-provoking subject matter and inventive flows, M.I.N.D. serves as Ace’s testament to the universal truths found only by looking inward. As revealed in a trailer that Ace released last week, M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die) EP arrives this Friday, February 25th, via Hood Nation/EMPIRE.
Music Videos
ChinaTownRunner x $tupid Young x Star2 Shares “FWM”
Asian-American rappers Star2, ChinaTownRunner, and $tupid Young release the new single / video entitled “FWM”. The single precedes Star2 and ChinaTownRunner’s upcoming EP and sets the bar high with haunting cavernous beats and dark melodic flow.
Each of them affirm that they are “about money” in their separate verses and all ask listeners to “come and F*** With Me.” The music video for “FWM” captures Star2, ChinaTownRunner, and $tupid Young in a graffiti-stroked garage full of sports cars and women. Leaning into the sheer magnitude of the track itself, the visuals for “FWM” zero in on each rapper for an intense performance.
Star2 and ChinaTownRunner are preparing to embark on a summer tour with $tupid Young set to appear at multiple dates. Additionally, Star2 and ChinaTownRunner will perform on July 6th in support of the annual Ka-ren Soccer Tournament and Concert in South Dakota.
Star2 is a refugee artist from the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand. Star2’s documentary, RETURN TO KAWTHOOLEI: A Refugee Rapper’s Journey to His Homeland in Burma will be screened at the New Media Film Festival in LA on June 6th. So far, the documentary has been awarded with “Best Short Documentary” at the Malaysian Film Festival, “Best Documentary” at the Busan New Wave Short Film Festival in S. Korea, “Best Web and Media” at the IndieX Film Fest in LA, and “Exceptional Merit in Docu-drama Short & Human Spirit” at the Documentaries Without Borders Film Festival. Star2 returns to Thailand in May for his second trip.
Music Videos
Ann-Derie Releases “Maximum Capacity”
Hollywood, Florida native Ann-Derie presents the official video for “Maximum Capacity”, the new single from I Am Only Human, her forthcoming album which also spawned “Just Us”, produced by Alvin Speights (R.I.P.), the engineer behind tracks for India Arie, TLC, Keith Sweat and many more. Shot in New York City, the “Maximum Capacity” clip comes on the heels of Ann-Derie’s tour of the East Coast (watch her interview with 99JAMZ). “Maximum Capacity” is out now on Dxnna Music Group.
Check it out!
Music Videos
Chey Delivers Amazing Freestyle On Sway’s Universe
Daughter of the legendary emcee Method Man and Staten Island native Chey has recently been making her own mark on the game with a bubbly personality that goes with his prodigy level talent. Her skill is so sharp ESPN and Vibe took notice with features that boosted her into a league of her own among the new stars of hip hop.
Now she adds a candid interview and freestyle with the iconic Sway! With grace and persona Chey shines brightly on the legendary journalist’s platform that garnered the attention of everyone worldwide.
Watch below.
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