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Whether it’s a rapper-turned-actor or the rare occasion when things are the other way around, you’d be surprised at just how close in proximity those two worlds can be in relation to each other. From Will Smith starting his career off winning the first-ever GRAMMY for hip-hop before going on to become one of the highest-paid Black actors in the biz, to Drake starting off as a teen TV heartthrob on Degrassi: The Next Generation before becoming the golden boy of hip-hop (pre-“Not Like Us”), hip-hop and Hollywood have fostered a rather unlikely bond over the years.
The same can be said for two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali. With success on the big and small screens alike, the 50-year-old Renaissance Man has everyone anticipating his next move: Jurassic World sequel? Titular role in the MCU reboot of Blade? Voicing Prowler in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse?
Well, how about music production? That seems to be Ali’s main focus at the moment after recently premiering a new song he produced for rising rap sensation Radamiz titled “Thin Ice.”
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The move isn’t that far off for Mahershala for those who are familiar with his career path. Back in the mid-2000s, around the time he starred in The 4400 on USA Network, the rising thespian decided to ‘moonlight’ as an emcee under the moniker Prince Ali. With the release of Corner Ensemble in 2006 and Curb Side Service in 2007, Ali embodied a cadence and flow similar to that of Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas fame paired with a keen and clever ear for production on the same level as Mos Def.
It’s the latter skill that takes the lead nearly two decades later, blessing Radamiz with a war-ready instrumental that would’ve meshed perfectly with any of the tracks on those aforementioned projects. As for how their linkup came about, Radamiz exclusively told us that it’s been in the works for roughly four years now and that the collaboration actually marks the beginning to future endeavors. “[‘Thin Ice’] was recorded in Oakland two years ago,” the 31-year-old Brooklyn-bred emcee says, also adding, “[We] stretched out five to six days in the studio [recording the song] with Ammbush from Drums & Ammo.”
While we’re sure Prince Ali — errr, we mean Mahershala Ali! — won’t be giving up movie trailers for recording booths anytime soon, the idea of him playing both fields for the time being sounds quite interesting to say the least. We can’t wait to hear more!
Watch the full music video below for “Thin Ice” by Radamiz, produced by Mahershala Ali, and let us know what you think:
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