Siimba Liives Long
Photo Credit: Nick Von Gremp
Source: Facebook
Siimba Liives Long walked with lions and swallowed fire in his last music video. Now, he's suspending from skin-piercing hooks and battling his demons.
"I been to Hell and back / How I done dealt with that / Woulda been selling crack / But that clientele all-black / And they can't afford the rehab / And they can't afford to relapse / With all of that stress on my mind, I can't afford to relax," Ethiopian-American MC Siimba Liives Long raps on his latest single, "Hooked."
"Hooked" is a soliloquy, less of internal conflict and more of self-awareness, Siimba reckons with indulging and divesting himself of all vices. He knows what he's doing and why he does it, and his raps are reflective of that same self-awareness that characterizes his artistry and persona.
In the visual, shot by Nick Von Gremp and co-directed by Siimba, the Brooklyn-based rapper is suspended from ropes tied to ten hooks, all piercing through his skin. He swings from the suspension gingerly, not out of caution, but out of physical and figurative release.
"The record 'Hooked' is about my fear of potentially becoming hooked to certain substances and people," Siimba tells Okayplayer. "After the release of my first video, although I was getting a lot of love online, it wasn't translating into real life success. I ended up sleeping on the train for about a year and doing whatever it took to get by while getting caught up in the distribution and the use of lots of substances. This record is an introspective one and represents my awareness of the possible consequences of my actions. The thoughts I had were very real and intense so I figured it would be important to have a video that was a literal representation of my fears."
The track, produced by Tallen, will be featured on Siimba's upcoming sonic series SUBWAY SAFARII.
Watch Siimba Liives Long's visual for "Hooked" below:
