Muhammad Ali’s passing touched the hearts of a nation with many people in the hip-hop community expressing respect for the slick-talking boxing champ and activist. Now Richmond, Va. rapper Michael Millions pays homage to the iconic sports figure with the new single “ALI.”

Produced by frequent collaborator NameBrand, Mike takes off on the jazz-infused instrumental which finds him spitting about the aspirations to achieve greatness like the late great boxer over a whirlwind of woodwind and brass instruments. “Be the greatest me that I can be, Ali/Be the greatest you that you can be, Ali,” he raps on the chorus.

XXL got on the phone with Mike Seven Figures where he talked about the inspiration behind making such a timely and poignant track.

“[Ali's] passing kind of made me reflect on what his legacy was. Which was really more so standing up for what you believe in,” said the 804 rapper. “That’s what made him great. He really used to put that word greatness to the forefront. To see that confidence in a black man of that time was rare. It really was the confidence of a people. So when I’m doing the record, I’m using Ali and a synonym for greatness.”

Prone to penning prose on important topics of the moment, Michael tackled the issue of police brutality on a track titled “6” following the killing of Mike Brown in 2014 in Ferguson, Mo.

Millions’ Ghost of $20 Bills LP caught our eye back in 2014. The Purple Republic Music Group rapper’s last project Beautiful dropped last November. He is working on the currently untitled follow up.

Listen to “ALI,” above.

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