De La Soul Join Forces With Nas In New Video For “Run It Back”

Hip Hop group De La Soul has released the official video for “Run It Back!!” featuring Nas, which is one of the standout tracks from the group’s critically acclaimed tenth studio album, Cabin in the Sky, released through Mass Appeal. By bringing together two of New York Hip Hop’s most enduring voices, “Run It Back!!” finds De La Soul and Nas looking at Hip Hop’s past, present and future, while proving why their contributions to the culture remain as vital as ever.

Produced by Supa Dave West and De La Soul, the record provides soulful backdrop for Posdnuos and Nas to trade perspective, sharp observations and veteran lyricism. The visual for the ditty unfolds as a moving collage of culture, color and imagery, expertly curating sound, art and motion to seamlessly match the energy of the record. The journey begins by taking viewers back to Amityville, Long Island, where De La Soul’s story began, before making its way to Queens to connect with Nas. With Posdnuos, Maseo and Nas together in the car as a stylized police chase unfolds around them, the video turns a ride through New York into a vivid, imaginative trip through place, culture and Hip Hop.

The visual language is as layered as the music itself. Technology, music, video and photography are fused together, with shifting environments, rich colors, photographic imagery and visual effects flowing from one frame into the next. At times surreal and at others familiar, the imagery moves like a living collage constantly changing while remaining connected to the rhythm and momentum of the song. Past and present seem to occupy the same canvas, with Long Island, Queens and the artists themselves becoming pieces of a larger visual composition.

The result is more than a traditional performance video. “Run It Back!!” uses contemporary visual technology to create something that feels handcrafted and distinctly artistic, a visual that moves with the record rather than simply accompanying it. Like the song itself, the video looks back without standing still, translating the creative energy of De La Soul and Nas into a visual experience that feels both rooted and forward-moving.

Photo Credit: Jake Gregory