Kahri 1K is definitely putting on for Virginia. Born and raised in Petersburg, the rising star is currently sailing off of his new deal with Pusha T’s Heir Wave Music Group, as well as his January release The Ghost of Pecan Acres. For his latest, he delivers a new visual from the aforementioned project for the $hop With Ken-produced “When They See Us,” which features assistance from Georgia rapper Quando Rondo and sees the collaborators rapping about the struggles that they’ve come from:
“Don’t ask us why we ride wit’ our guns/
These lil’ n***as, they dyin’ where I’m from/
And I refuse to be the next one/
All the oldheads livin’ long, all the young n***as gone/
But I’m here, I’m going strong, yeah…/”
The Shomi Patwary-directed music video takes us through Kahri’s stomping grounds, ending with a powerful message to the youth in the streets. Via press release, Kahri revealed how the song came together:
The record was inspired by vibe of the city and what my people go through every day. I already had the song done and i felt like [Quando Rondo] was the perfect fit, so we reached out. The visual is a first hand look at the conditions in which I was raised and my exit plain to make it out.
Prior to the clip for “When They See Us,” Kahri blessed his fans with equally striking visuals for “Trenches” and the Zaqq O’Drama-assisted “No LifeJacket.” Speaking on the signing during his big label announcement in Richmond, Pusha T stressed on the importance of highlighting real talent from his state like Kahri 1K:
“As far as Virginia goes and where I’m from, the 757…I sort of feel like we haven’t established like a circuit that’s really our own… Now, with the label, that’s one of the things I’m trying to do. … I felt like Kahri, and I felt like Kahri’s project, would be a great one to start this whole campaign with.”
You can press play on “When They See Us” below.