Paris Addresses Gun Violence in “Buck, Buck, Pass” Video

Paris has been on the hip-hop scene for more than two decades, making as much a name for himself for his politically charged lyrics as he has for his controversial album covers along the way. The Bay Area native's last album, Hard Truth Soldiers Vol. 2, came out six years ago, the last of a successful and prolific run through the mid-to-late 2000s. But lately he's returned to the studio and drops off the video for his new song, "Buck, Buck, Pass."

The song kicks off with an ominous, bass-y beat that allows Paris to lace it up with his straight-forward flow and touch on the topics of gun violence, racial prejudice and the fact that the two have been intertwined for too much of America's history. Unpacking Paris' lyrics reveals deeper levels of meaning, with commentary on America's many wars and police brutality closer to home paired with visuals that show the emotion and devastation caused by a focus on corporate America. The video itself is a grim reminder of America's bloody recent history domestically, as well, which has led to protests in Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore and New York City, just to name a few, in the past few years.

"Buck, Buck, Pass" heralds the release of Paris' upcoming 11th studio album, Pistol Politics, which is due out via Guerilla Funk Recordings on Sept. 11 of this year. Check out the video above and head over to the Washington Post to read a recent op-ed that Paris penned about gun violence and the debate over gun control.