One of the standout moments on Lil Durk's new project, Just Cause Y'all Waited, is an introspective flip of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's 1996 classic "The Crossroads."
The Supreme Beats-produced song is a somber, melodic cut that honors several of Durk's fallen Chicago comrades—including Fredo Santana, Capi, and Nuski. Addressing Fredo's tragic death in January at the age of 27, Durk raps, "That shit with Fredo got me tweakin'/They not cryin', they just tweetin'/Ain't no time to do no grievin.'"
Those feelings of mortality are driven home in a new video directed by JerryPhD. Featuring old clips of Fredo and some of the other important figures in Durk's life who have passed away, the visual contains subtle nods to Bone Thugs' music video as it leans into the song's mournful energy—depicting Durk next to a casket.
"The 'Crossroads' video means a lot to me because Bone Thugs was a big influence on me growing up," Durk told Complex via email. "I wish I could've had them in the video but this was a way to capture the lyrics of the song into a visual that makes people think. RIP Fredo. Put the cup down, because I did."
Just Cause Y'all Waited is Durk's first tape since leaving Def Jam Records. Feeling liberated, he recently tweeted, "Now I’m free and finna burn 2018 down."
So far, he's started his independent run on strong footing. If you haven't already, dive into the project below and see his video for "Crossroads" above.
