Summary
- Surreal yet grounded, the video explores how systemic oppression weaves itself into the quiet routines of everyday life
- Children, rituals, and symbols of survival are shown alongside flashes of incarceration, pursuit, and grief — blurring the line between normalcy and trauma
- Rather than glorify wealth, the video challenges it — asking whether success is freedom, or just a more polished form of captivity
Clipse has recently dropped the music video for “Chains & Whips,” a fan-favorite off their long-awaited comeback album Let God Sort ‘Em Out. Featuring a standout verse from Kendrick Lamar, the track dives deep into themes of systemic oppression, generational trauma, and the complicated relationship between survival and material success.
The title itself is a play on words. On the surface, it nods to luxury — chains on necks, whips in garages. But behind the gloss, it’s a direct reference to the violence of slavery, incarceration, and generational control. That tension sits at the heart of the track: how wealth and status are often worn like armor, even though they’re forged from the very systems that once shackled you.
Directed by Gabriel Moses, the video brings this message to life with moody, surreal visuals. From the very first frame — a woman clutching a guitar in silence — you feel the weight. It’s not performance; it’s tension. Her stillness feels louder than any verse, setting the emotional temperature for everything that follows.
One of the most powerful motifs throughout is the recurring presence of children. They’re not placed in overtly adult-coded environments yet it poses an assumption, their expressions — watchful, reserved, cautious — say more than any backdrop could. They aren’t playing or smiling for the camera; they’re absorbing. The visual tone suggests how early the system begins to shape people — before they even understand it. Before they ever wear chains as fashion, they’ve already been handed invisible ones: silence, expectation, inherited weight.
Meanwhile, there are glimpses of everyday life — children playing, a man watching a lottery machine, adults moving through familiar routines — all quietly interrupted by discord. Showcasing that the system doesn’t explode instead hums beneath it all, embedded in the fabric of the ordinary.
Kendrick doesn’t appear in the video, but his presence lingers. His verse closes the track with a sharp rejection of superficial accolades. He name-drops Rakim and questions the culture’s obsession with clout, fame, and virality. It’s a pointed reminder that while everyone’s chasing trends, the real stories and roots are being erased.
The final scene strips it all down. Two women stand by a porch, singing an a cappella version of their debut single “Grindin’.” No beat. No effects. Just raw voices echoing the legacy of Clipse. It’s a full-circle moment — a return to roots.
Check out the “Chains & Whips” music video above.
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