“Nobody’s gonna block my shine”. Jelani Lateef utters this refrain in his inspirational hip hop track, ‘Can’t Stop Now’, and it serves as a mantra not just to himself but also to his listeners.
It’s not all self-affirmation though; lines such as “this ain’t checkers – the game of life is chess”, and references to modern warfare and media hype bring us squarely to reality, and establish that Jelani knows the difference between truth and fantasy. But he does know it’s possible to achieve your dreams – you just have to know there’s no short cut to getting there.
Delivered with a vibrational beat that is impossible to resist grooving to, ‘Can’t Stop Now’ sees Jelani issue a decree to his listeners, hoping they can learn that moving steadily on through life is always the answer, even through the toughest times. The music video sees Jelani take to the streets of his home town of Chigago, where he sets up a mic in the middle of downtown, and declares his message to all and sundry. The clip also features Jelani’s niece, whose goal is to be a professional gymnast. We see her practising her flips and twists, while listening to ‘Can’t Stop Now’, and even during the bounds of the video, her improvement is visible.
Check out the video for ‘Can’t Stop Now’, and find out more about Jelani Lateef and his music online on Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Jelani Lateef’s “Can’t Stop Now” powerfully inspires listeners to persevere and pursue their dreams amidst life’s challenges. @slope ball