Self-proclaimed “Champion of the United States” and Philadelphia-bred rapper Meek Mill delivers the official music video for “Intro” on Monday (Dec. 10).
Directed by Kid Art, the three-minute visual frames Meek’s mental state as he re-enters the rap game as he continues to battle the justice system as a young, black man. Presumably surrounded by those he considers family, “Intro” retrospectively takes a look at the 31-year-old’s come up as a notable rapper out of North Philly.
Juxtaposing his current lifestyle with not-so-distant memories of the trenches, the video shuffles scenes of club confetti, bullet holes, poured out bottles of Ace of Spades and dirt bikes– a presumed nod to Meek’s unjust jail sentence.
“Pouring champagne ’cause all my n***s dead/ If they ain’t in the graveyard, then they in the feds/ I give a f**k if that crown heavy, put it on my head” spits Meek over the instrumental to Phil Collins’ “In The Air.”
Last week (Dec. 2) music engineers Young Guru and Anthony Cruz spoke to VIBE about Meek’s choice to sample Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” on the track, stating that “Meek had this vision” to flip the classic track since he first heard it in Paid In Full and was glad to finally make it happen in a standout fashion on “Intro.”
If you haven’t already, be sure to take a look at the official music video for “Intro” up top.
READ MORE: Young Guru And Anthony Cruz Discuss Engineering Meek Mill’s ‘Championships’ Album