Family Tree is the first video single off of Oakland artist sOuL from the O’s Queens and Pharaohs album – but it almost didn’t happen!
What was supposed to be filmed in Philly, ended up in the Las Vegas desert just a few days before the shoot was to happen.
sOuL from the O would admit, “Good thing we talked a week before the shoot, because Hezekiah mentioned he would be in Vegas instead of Philly. Which was the best mixup because we realized the Las Vegas desert was a better place for the song’s video”
What resulted is a story of sOuL from the O walking through a barren land to receive this letter from this unknown ancestor reminding him of his roots, and his connection to something beyond this realm. The video juxtaposes images of sOuL from the O rapping about his family ties, & a mysterious ancestor placing images of family members in a tree. Eventually the two meet, against the backdrop of desert mountains and a driving piano breakbeat.
The Family Tree video is a testament to the song’s collaborators, sOuL from the O and producer/director Hezekiah’s creative vision, as much as their ability to adapt to last minute changes in landscape – and still make magic! Check it out!
About sOuL from the O:
Nobody gave sOuL from the O permission to make his brand of Hip-Hop, and he likes it this way. Sometimes eclectic, sometimes fierce, pounding on the doors of the establishment, he has been on a collision course for expanding the boundaries of Hip-Hop music for some time now. Releasing his first album in the early 2000’s, followed by a string of singles, vinyl pressings, EPs and live performances (opening up for the likes of Yasiin Bey being a highlight!) Sometimes performing with his co-collaborator Woodstock on the MPC sampler & other times incorporating live instruments, sOuL from the O is currently on a mission to connect with Hip-Hop heads world wide!