Blackalicious have dropped their soulful new video for On Fire Tonight, and it is confronting as hell. Another important creative output nodding to the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s a vicious, graphic video from the hip-hop crew.
In between cuts of naked women posing and members of the group performing, the video contains archival images of police brutality occurring throughout the states.
A mere eight seconds into the video, viewers are presented with footage of a black man being shot down by a white police officer, setting the standard for what is to come throughout the video.
Throughout each chorus of the song, feature artist Myron of Myron E is dwarfed by the images behind him, ranging from black protests, to police beatings, to the murder of black citizens in the streets. Watch the full video below.
On Fire Tonight featured on last years album Imani, Vol.1, the first for the group after a ten year absence.
Speaking to The Guardian, MC Chief Xcel said of the song and album “Our audience seems to be people who see music and art as essential parts of life, and not just disposable accessories. That’s who we make music for – people who need it in their life. I’m one of those people. Imani is Swahili for faith, and that’s really where we’re at at this juncture. We’re so rooted in our purpose that we don’t have to second-guess, we just know. There’s no fear of the unknown, there’s just the fire to move forward and get to wherever the journey takes us.”
More: read our interview with Blackalicious
IMAGE: The Fader