Conway The Machine dropped his highly anticipated record From King To A God back in September, but unfortunately the rapper’s longtime friend and producer DJ Shay passed away just weeks before its release. Conway included the powerful track “Forever Droppin’ Tears” on the record as a tribute to Shay and now, he’s shared a compelling video for the mournful track.
Running some eight minutes, the video honor swhat would have been Shay’s 49th birthday. Directed by Langston Sessoms, the video stitches together snapshots from the two’s long friendship. It opens with them as young men living in New York and follows Shay’s influence on Conway. (Shay served as a musical director, DJ, mentor, and father figure.)
Speaking about the video in a statement posted to Instagram, Conway reflected on Shay’s influence:
“I was thinking about the beginning of this journey. I remember when I came from jail in 2005 and big loveboat and kutter(free kutter) brought me to Shay lab to start this buff city records sh*t. I was the first, then I started bringin Benny and west, chinegunn and thugz and everybody around the lab and we built something monumental for the city. Fast forward 15 years and we all got record deals and some people would even consider us to be some of the best rappers in the game right now, and it’s wild because Shay seen this shit from the beginning way back then, he seen us being something that we probably didn’t even see ourselves being, and that’s hip hop legends. That’s why it’s f*ckin me up so much that this man is no longer here with us to bask in these moments and celebrate these incredible accomplishments with us, I think about unk everyday and I hold back tears, but I find comfort in knowing that GOD don’t make mistakes, and I know my n**** watchin over me and smiling down like ‘yeah machine fuck them n****s up’” Lol so just know we gone hold u down forever Shay! Happy gday almighty!!”
Watch Conway The Machine’s “Forever Droppin’ Tears” video above.
From King To A God (Deluxe) is out 12/11 via Griselda. Pre-order it here.