Bad Meets Evil have released a music video for "Lighters," the second single from Detroit hip hop duo's debut EP, "Hell: The Sequel," which has been in stores since June. When old friends and former collaborators Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" reunited to form Bad Meets Evil, it seemed like a no-brainer. But what did cause at least some trepidation was the Bruno Mars-featuring "Lighters." The song, though, seems to be doing fairly well on the Billboard Hot 100, so the success train continues onward with a video for the power anthem.This soft-hop track, which has been said by critics to incorporate soul music with influences of synthpop, features Mars and was produced by his production team The Smeezingtons along with Eminem and Battle Roy. Mars' refrain gives the tune similar dynamics to his collaboration with B.O.B., "Nothin' on You." Royce's verse finds him recalling his dad hanging up his postal carrier uniform. "I cried plenty tears, my daddy gotta bad back," he rap-sings. "So it's only right, that I write till he can march right/In to that post office and tell 'em to hang it up." Royce explained to The Boombox: "It was always a goal of mine to hopefully retire my father someday."
The Rich Lee-directed video opens with frustrated Eminem lounging on a messy room while attempting to write lyrics. Feeling trapped, he climbs down a ladder to an underground tunnel in hopes to escape his frustration. The same goes with his partner Royce. The Slaughterhouse is locked down somewhere behind bars counting down the day when he will finally be free again. He gets his hope up when finding a secret portal and taking a chance to explore it. At the end of their dark path, both of them find a clearing with thousands of floating lanterns lighting up the sky.
While the Detroit rappers get cinematic scene of finding a path to escape their troubles, Mars simply sits behind a piano playing it and crooning the hook. The Grammy-winning singer once told MTV that the video has an underlying message which will "leave fans inspired." As Mars sings the bridge, the two rappers find their way out of the tunnels and finally get their sky full of lighters after going through a long, dark path. The video was met with positive reception for its positive and inspirational message: leave the dark and negative behind and move toward the glowing and positive.
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