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Butterfly Ali delivers some peaceful vibes on “Pray For ‘Em” [Video]

LA-based singer and actor Butterfly Ali has now returned to share the retro-inspired video for his groove-filled jam “Pray For ‘Em.” The single is a follow up to his Velly-produced single “5 Minutes,” and sees Ali working with the renowned producer Sam Barsh (Kendrick Lamar, Logic, Anderson .Paak, Aloe Blacc), who laces him with soaking wet funky textures and grooves.

At first, listen, you may just be enthralled by the lush backdrops and Ali’s commanding melodic performance but peering deeper the song is as profound as they come. Ali takes inspiration from the current racial climate in the states and finds an outlet to convey his thoughts with lines like “I gotta pray pray pray, the people think it’s failing/ somebody trying to take my pocket too/ just look at what is given/ You wasn’t ready for it, tell ’em.” Throughout the song, he hopes for peace and tranquility amidst the chaos but leaps with blind faith in humanity.

 
The video directed by Austin Hughes channels the classic funk theme of the song and peppers it with a colorful, vintage aesthetic and expressive motifs that play throughout the visual. Ali plays a peace-loving guru who meditates in a praying mantis pose. The set pieces here range from 70s blaxploitation-esque scenes to dream-like sequences amongst others. Themes like unity, love, and support are personified by the scene of Ali’s entire family dressed in white regalias while the expressive choreography represents beauty, peace, and serenity. The entire visual is quite engaging with its varied hues and moods used to represent different emotions.

For those that might recognize him, Butterfly Ali had recurring roles on TV shows such as Pretty Little Liars, Glee, and CW’s Star-Crossed. He is currently playing the character Jackson West on ABC’s The Rookie.

Get it on SoundCloud.

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