2.23.2022

Video: Ace Hood – “Free“

Ace Hood Dreams of a World Free from Racism and Hardship in the Latest Video from M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die) EP, Out Friday 2/25

The Video:

Making his name with invigorating turn-up anthems before choosing a new path, Ace Hood is determined to use his insight and his influence to help people like him. In his new video “Free,” Ace examines some common hardships faced by Black men, and dreams of a way the world could be different. Using an addictive, conversationally melodic flow over a whirring synth beat and stadium-sized percussion, Ace astutely summarizes a litany of problems–from gun violence, to police brutality, to poverty and hunger–and empathizes with those less fortunate than he: “You can’t save me from my darkness/You can’t save me from myself/In this world one can become heartless/When your skin tone makes you a target/I just wanna be free.”

“Being free to me is living in an unconditional space rather than the conditional state,” says Ace Hood. “To me, freedom is the mastering and understanding of self. To not be bound by any label.”

Directed by Alex Heider of Good Boy Films, the video for “Free” positions Ace as a fly on the wall as three individuals experience situations that test their character: Police assault a young Black man–wielding nothing but a cell phone–as he takes a break from his shift at work, a Black man on a date with a white woman resists the impulse to commit violence when two suspicious bar patrons accost him, and a young child painfully witnesses his loving mother in an abusive relationship. Ace dons a white priestly raiment and welcomes the three characters to a world where they can finally be free.

“We all struggle with understanding ourselves and we all process things very differently, but it’s important to remember that we are not our experiences,” says Ace about his new video. “These things happen to us so we can learn to feel, adapt, and rise above. Hopefully, those lessons can help us create and model the change we would like to see in the world. In the ‘Free’ video, I lay down on the test table as the old me and rise as the new. This is me recharging and shifting into a higher form of myself, but as that happens, I start to experience traumatic memories that are subconsciously happening in my mind.”

“Free” is a highlight track from M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die), a new EP. Featuring recent singles like the boldly aspirational, “Glory,” and the glowingly self-assured, “Little Light,” M.I.N.D. marks a fresh, new start for Ace, with lyrics that reflect the mentality required to confront personal and generational trauma. A ten-track effort filled with thought-provoking subject matter and inventive flows, M.I.N.D. serves as Ace’s testament to the universal truths found only by looking inward. As revealed in a trailer that Ace released last week, M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die) EP arrives this Friday, February 25th, via Hood Nation/EMPIRE.

Watch “Free”: https://youtu.be/Y_f39gA0paY

Pre-save M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die): https://music.empi.re/mind

M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die) tracklist:

Memories Inside Never Die
At War
Glory
Demonstration
Love Liberates
Free
Little Light
Greatness
Exit 41
Wisdom

Please contact Michelle or Myles for more info.

The Background

Amid a career highlighted by gold and platinum plaques, Top 10 albums, and A-list collaborations, Ace Hood solidified his legend as the first rapper from Broward County, FL, to reach national prominence, paving the way for artists like Kodak Black, YNW Melly (about whom Ace Hood narrated a podcast with Complex and Spotify), and more. This new path was not easily forged for Ace, who made immense personal sacrifices to invest in himself while reinventing his artistry. Ace’s journey to inhabit his new self began with his physical and mental health–he devoted himself to training (he started a supplement brand called Ace Blend to help people realize their gains), meditation, family time, and self-love. Though there were some bumps on his road to self-reliance, Ace always knew he was on the right track. “I am in a space where I’m creating the best music of my life,” says Ace. The success of his 2020 album, Mr. Hood, and its hit single, “We Ball” (75 million streams), have proven that statement, and this year, he’s on a mission to sustain, even grow, his independent empire.