Boston rap heavy-hitter Slaine reveals the stark and politically charged new video for “Source of Power,” a Teddy Roxpin-produced banger off Leedz Edutainment’s latest compilation, Eastern Standard.
It’s fitting that the two releases—the video and the compilation—arrive on the same day, because Slaine and Leedz are two of the biggest names in Boston hip-hop. Incidentally, their rise to prominence are interwoven, as Leedz played a hand in Slaine’s acclaimed mixtape series, The White Man is the Devil, while simultaneously playing a pivotal role in developing the city’s hip-hop scene. Many know Slaine for his alignment with super group, La Coka Nostra—which also includes members DJ Lethal, Danny Boy, and Ill Bill—as well as his big screen appearances on Gone Baby Gone, Killing Them Softly, Central Intelligence, and most notably as one of the four bank robbers in Ben Affleck’s box office hit, The Town. Therefore it’s only natural that the two would join forces once again for the first debut visual installment off the 21-track compilation.
And although the visuals are brimming with violent imagery of war and hardship, the purpose of the song, according to Slaine, is to question the false truths depicted by mankind’s ongoing battle for power. “We seem to have this human condition where we seek power and validation from outside sources when really we have the ultimate power in and around us at all times,” he says.
This notion is highlighted by Slaine’s gripping final verse: “Is it fear that we suffer from or lack of it?/ Where do we go now? Who do we turn to?/ When does it slow down? Who do we learn through?/ Through a history of imperious acts/ I still move with my spirit intact.” These words are all brought to life by director Ben Proulx for Project 2 Studios who utilizes harsh but necessary imagery from various conflicts our world has faced over the years.
Check out the visuals, and make sure you check out Eastern Standard, which is available now through all major download outlets and streaming platforms, via Leedz Edutainment. In addition to Slaine, the compilation features Mega Ran, Natti and Deacon The Villain (both of CunninLynguists), Rite Hook, Cam Meekins, Michael Christmas, and many others.
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