Earlier this month, Ray Vaughn dropped off a new single titled “Sandcastles,” a Wallis Lane-produced effort that features his TDE peer Ab-Soul. The song’s title alludes to the artists’ ability to create positives out of every negative thrown in their direction. “Got it out the mud and made a sandcastle,” Vaughn declares on the closing bridge.

Today (Feb. 13), fans are able to check out a matching visual for the collaboration, which comes courtesy of Jacob Rink and begins with Ray Vaughn on a beach surrounded by individuals hidden beneath colorful garments. The clip continues on with different scenarios that are left open to interpretation, including what looks like a prisoner being handed a briefcase with a red button and an armed women retaliating against a thief. Ab-Soul makes his appearance in a corner store before meeting with Vaughn outside, where a crew of others appear with distorted faces.

It’s been a couple of years since Vaughn delivered his official TDE introduction, a three-song EP titled Peer Pressure. Since then, the Long Beach emcee continued to build his profile with a consistent stream of well-received singles, including “59th & Bethany,” “Picking Cherries,” “Potential,” “Mannequin,” “Dawg House” with Isaiah Rashad, and “Tradeline (Freestyle).” He also created the theme song for the 2021 animated series “The Freak Brothers.”

During the same period, Ab-Soul was largely off the radar except for occasional drops and features like “One Way St.” with Jhené Aiko, “Dangerookipawaa Freestyle,” “Who Wants What” with Russ, and “Trapped In” with REASON and Westside Boogie. In December of 2022, he marked his official return with the critically acclaimed album Herbert, a 16-song body of work with additional assists from Lance Skiiiwalker, Ambré, Joey BADA$$, SiR, Big Sean, Alemeda, and more. Press play on Ray Vaughn and Ab-Soul’s “Sandcastles” video below.