Less than 24 hours ago, on-the-rise rapper Keys The Prince shared a clip of his new music video for "Nothing" online. Accompained by a tweet that read, "a big reason why UK rap is about to be in an even better place", it went viral, and now Complex has been given the official First Look.
It could be one of three reasons why the clip caught a flame on Twitter: 1) the confidence in the attached tweet, 2) the cinematic visuals that we're premiering today, or 3)—which I'm guessing is the right reason—the anthemic, choir-led, strings-laced production that underpins Keys' assured rhymes and crystal-clear flow that ties it all together. Whatever the reasoning behind it, "Nothing" comes at a time where alternative British rap is cutting through the UK drill cloud and taking up some much-needed space.
Speaking on his self-produced new single, Keys The Prince told Complex: "'Nothing' is about achieving greatness and not letting anything stop you from reaching it. I went through a tough time last year and this track is the embodiment of all the emotions I was feeling at my lowest. I channeled this energy into the production and lyrics, and used it to show that I would no longer let anything stop me from achieving my goals. And I really wanted to show the duality of life as a black male in the UK, where we have all of the tools to fail but are forced to create our own tools to succeed. I wanted to relay an image that wasn't the conventional video you see from a UK rap artist; with this in mind, we wanted to make sure that with our limited budget, we could shoot some very iconic scenes. For example, the arrest scene displays the reality for many young black men in London, including myself, but even through the discrimination, I continue performing and don't let it distract me from my goals."
Letting us know that he's about to bring his "musicality and creativity to a genre that many have said has become stagnant and repetitive", from his latest offering too, all eyes should be on Keys The Prince when he drops his new EP, Nothing Else Matters, on April 10. Watch the Fly Shoots Only-directed visuals for "Nothing" above, and be sure to add the song to your playlists.
