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Paras Griffin/Getty ImagesNas celebrates Black empowerment in his new video for “Ultra Black,” from his latest album, King’s Disease.
The video features nostalgic scenes of grandmothers cooking in the kitchen, family bonding, Black men embracing fatherhood, and Black girls and boys smiling with joy.
Hit-Boy, the song’s producer, also makes a cameo appearance in the Spike Jordan-directed video, along with Gucci fashion designer Dapper Dan.
Nas connected with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to discuss the inspiration behind his favorite song on the album, which was inspired after seeing the nation’s unrest over the May police killing of George Floyd.
“Just watching all the terror happening all over the country, I just felt a knee on my neck and I felt a knew on our people,” Nas explained. “I felt like I needed a pride moment. I needed a moment to be happy about our existence, and all the things that we’ve done as a people, and it constantly being ripped apart.
He continued, “In a moment that we were going through so much darkness, I wanted a song that would bring lift. Something different than anything I’ve ever done before. So ‘Ultra Black’ was that representation of an uplifting feeling and a feeling of empowerment.”
King’s Disease was released last Friday, with features from Charlie Wilson, Lil Durk, Anderson .Paak, Fivio Foreign and A$AP Ferg, while Big Sean and Don Toliver join him on a track titled “Replace Me.”
By Rachel George
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