Video: Ab-Soul feat. Teedra Moses & Javonté - 'Evil Genius'

Ab-Soul takes a somber and soulful trip down memory lane in the music video for “Evil Genius” featuring Teedra Moses and Javonté.

Ruminating on his past, the TDE wordsmith brings fans on a journey through his childhood home, which recently burned down. Amid ashes and damages, Soulo reflects on the death of his longtime girlfriend Alori Joh, who died of suicide in 2012.

It’s a particularly moving visual because it also shows the TDE rapper visiting Alori’s grave site for the first time since her passing. “It’s just very sincere,” he told GQ. “The album is a woman-appreciation album, and I can’t help but commemorate my lady. If I were to talk to her today, that would be the tone of my voice. If I had the opportunity, that’s how I would get at her. If you can imagine something like that, I just tried to put that into words.”

After flashes of vintage footage featuring Alori, the clip ends with Soul at her gravesite with a bouquet of red roses. “That was my first time visiting her since the ceremony,” he said. “My idea was that I’d bring the world with me this time. She was the world to me.”

Labeled a “woman appreciation” project, Do What Thou Wilt was released last year and featured appearances by ScHoolboy Q, SZA, Rapsody, and Mac Miller. According to Soul, it was his way of sparking dialogue with women.

“There are a lot of men trying to come to a compromise, asking to work together in this particular time,” he said. “I did this project, and then I saw the Women’s March, and all of these other things happening. I don’t take that as a coincidence. I really want to look towards opening up the dialogue with women, coming to some solutions. Did you see that mob? I’m want to be on their side!”

Watch the visual for “Evil Genius” below.