ArtistKiller Mike has shared a two part short film tribute to his late mother by comprising a pair of songs from his upcoming album MICHAEL, which will released on out June 16 by Loma Vista Recordings.
The album includes Mike’s most recent single “DON’T LET THE DEVIL (feat EL-P & thankugoodsir)” and the previously unreleased song “MOTHERLESS (feat Eryn Allen Kane).”
“DON’T LET THE DEVIL,” is directed by Davi Peña and the video is based on a treatment by EL-P, which is a joyful and nostalgic homage to the parties Mama Niecy used to throw in the family’s home.
In keeping with the album’s nakedly autobiographical nature, the two-parter kicks off with Mike digging through keepsakes in his mother’s Atlanta home where he discovers and smokes a joint among his mother’s belongings, which unlocks a wave of memories.
In the press release Mike discussed hat influenced him to create “DON’T LET THE DEVIL.”
“El’s heard me talk about these bohemian-artsy-disco infused parties my mom used to throw when I was kid. I’d hear everything there- that’s where I first heard Grandmaster Flash, Kurtis Blow & Whodini. So when we were trying to figure out what the video for ‘DON’T LET THE DEVIL’ should be. Jaime came back with this treatment written out and I cried at the end. What’s even crazier is he didn’t know what we were doing for ‘MOTHERLESS’ either but that’s the magic I guess.”
In regards to “MOTHERLESS,” Mike talks about the meaning behind the song.
“It was the last song made for the album because I hadn’t uttered these words out loud since her transitioning. When I tell the story of my mother the tales told include one when I walked in on her attempting to take her own life- it gets to the heart of how deeply sensitive an artist and human she was. She survived, was diagnosed bi-polar and depressed; she fought that until the day she died.”
The rapper adds: “She lived a beautifully rich outlaw of a life and I am honored to show her as the total beautiful badass she was.” He continues “These aren’t meant to be sad videos or eulogies. This is a celebration of a BAD ASS BLACK GIRL from the westside of Atlanta. She’s been affectionately called OG Mama Niecy by the many people she helped stay on their path.”
To complement Mike’s music videos of “DON’T LET THE DEVIL” and “MOTHERLESS”, BET/MTV have participated in the launch of Mike’s new music. Both stations will be hosting a broadcast premiere for “MOTHERLESS” the same day, with hourly plays across six of their networks channels and release day profile on Paramount’s Times Square Billboard.
Photo Credit: Owen Ela
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