Synopsis

Pro Era move through a bleak, partially ruined Brooklyn as Joey Bada$$ and CJ Fly deliver their verses amid abandoned buildings, waterfront docks and familiar city landmarks. Capital STEEZ's contribution is represented through spinning vinyl, keeping his presence central even though he is absent from the newly filmed footage. The video builds toward a rooftop memorial, where the crew paints a large mural of STEEZ above the city. Stark imagery, gray skies and the group's solemn performance turn the clip into a proud, reflective tribute to their fallen co-founder.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video premiered on May 31, 2013, several months after Capital STEEZ's death. It reframes "Like Water," originally released on Pro Era's December 2012 mixtape "PEEP: The aPROcalypse," as a memorial piece.

• The song brings together Capital STEEZ, Joey Bada$$ and CJ Fly over production by Statik Selektah. Its subdued piano-led beat and reflective tone contrast with the more aggressive energy associated with some of Pro Era's early material.

• STEEZ's verse is visualized through a spinning vinyl record rather than new performance footage. This gives him a physical presence in the clip while acknowledging that the other scenes were filmed after his death.

• Much of the video was shot around Brooklyn, including waterfront and industrial locations, a rooftop and areas near the Barclays Center. The distressed surroundings support the video's post-apocalyptic visual atmosphere.

• Familiar Brooklyn landmarks are digitally presented as decayed or damaged, making the city look like a landscape after an unnamed catastrophe. The approach adds an unusually cinematic dimension to what is otherwise a street-focused rap video.

• The closing mural of Capital STEEZ turns the video into an act of remembrance. It also reflects Pro Era's emphasis on preserving his image and influence through the group's own art.

• "Like Water" was the opening track on "PEEP: The aPROcalypse." Its placement originally suggested a statement of intent for the collective; after STEEZ's death, the same opening became much more elegiac.

• The track includes a sample from Nas' "It Ain't Hard To Tell," while its piano texture has been compared to the sound of Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents."