Hardcore Hip-Hop fans got a treat for Record Store Day 2019 this past April in the form of Pete Rock’s latest album Return of the SP1200, an instrumental LP comprised of rare beats produced between 1990 and 1998. Adding even more appeal to the project, the legendary producer just released a short film titled Shots Fired that plays on American politics, the power of perspective and most importantly how rap supersedes all barriers that work towards separating us.
Directed by Hezues R, Shots Fired tells an interesting narrative with cuts from the album, including standouts “Take A Knee” and “Hope The World Don’t Stop (Before I Get Mines),” filling in the gaps in-between dialogue. What’s initially perceived to be a school shooting-themed plot influenced by Trump’s highly-controversial “Make America Great Again” presidential campaign actually turns out to be something way more powerful. Race, youth culture, politics and the intersection of those three worlds come together perfectly in the span of this eight-minute visual presentation, and the final result is just as impressive as the album itself.
Watch Pete Rock’s new short film ‘Shots Fired‘ above, and listen to Return of the SP1200 right now on all music streaming platforms.
