Less than 24 hours after announcing his upcoming K.R.I.T. Iz Here album, Big K.R.I.T. delivers the first video from the July 12 affair. A title song of sorts, “K.R.I.T. Here” is an affirmation of all that the Meridian, Mississippi double-threat has accomplished in the last decade.

Ten years ago, K.R.I.T., like many rappers, was in a class of artists trying to be heard on upload sites, streams, and blogs. Through quality, consistency, and having something unique to offer, he built a massive movement step-by-step, brick-by-brick. Through booming beats, relatable and introspective lyrics, one of the titans of Hip-Hop has done just that. From representing the “third coast” to climbing to “Mt. Olympus,” Krizzle has been a beacon of hope, inspiration, and jammin’ music for many.

In 2010, Big K.R.I.T. Updated A Souls Of Mischief Classic For A New Day

“That was then, this is me, this is king,” he touts, in an opening that revisits those early dreams. In a powerful sequence, it is 2010. A modern slave auction is shown, with white record execs determining the value of Black rappers in the field. Just as the 1700s and 1800s plantation owners and staff examined physical features of enslaved Africans, these execs look at the rap sheets of MCs. K.R.I.T., being from a new city and underrated is deemed only worth $100, where he is purchased. That was the same year that the artist and his then-partners at Cinematic Music Group signed a Def Jam Records deal. A jump to 2019 shows how, as a truly independent entity, Big K.R.I.T. is priceless to the culture.

In the video, K.R.I.T. holds court with dancers and a live band in one sequence. In a song about rags-to-riches growth, the MC/producer posts up on the porch showing that while his reach, audience, and appeal has changed, his core values and inspiration has not. The imagery of the country turf, the church, and the folks Krizzle grew up with are unwavering.

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This song is produced by Darhyl Camper, Jr.

At the top of 2019, the artist released TDT, a collection of eight songs from late last year released in bursts. His last album was 2017’s 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, which Ambrosia For Heads readers selected as that year’s best work.