Winter is approaching, and native New York emcee Emilio Rojas is still dropping much-needed heat off his EP "L.I.F.E,," this time with exclusive visuals to his socially conscious track "Imagine That," featuring DeVo D.
"Imagine That" takes a refreshing new spin on Nas and Lauryn Hill's classic '90s hit "If I Ruled The World," and throughout the video Emilio touches on important topics affecting communities of color such as immigration, the war on drugs and police brutality. Shot in classic black and white by director Fred Focus, the visuals convey a dark and gritty portrait of American life.
Rojas recently told HotNewHipHop about the inspiration behind the song.
"There are so many things going in the world right now that I felt compelled to at least try and address some of the issues," he said. "The original Nas record came at a crucial moment -- it really put a focus on a lot of the problems plaguing the urban community at the time. My goal with this song was to do a broader, modern play on the concept while paying homage to the original. I really want to be a part of the dialogue that leads to change."
Rojas performed "Imagine That" in August on HuffPost Live's #FreestyleFridays, which streams live each week on Periscope and has welcomed guests including Joell Ortiz, Masta Ace, Nitty Scott MC and more. Tune in this Friday, Oct. 23, at 5:30 p.m. ET for a live performance from Joe Budden.
WATCH "Imagine That"