Due to his current legal situation, Kevin Gates has been unable to physically promote his new album, By Any Means 2. But thanks to the helping hand of his wife, Dreka, the show has went on without a hitch.
A few days after the album dropped, Dreka and Gates’ daughter Islah (the inspiration behind his debut album) starred in a heart-wrenching video for “Imagine That.” And now, a video for “Had To” has been released.
Despite his physical absence, Gates’ spirit shines through in the POV-style visual that follows his moves from 2008 to the present. From handing out copies of his All In mixtape while simultaneously moving weight, the Baton Rouge native offers a glimpse into moments of his life—being shot, getting the infamous gun tattoo on his hand, and running into the law with their guns drawn.
The video is bookended by “Gates” kneeling in prayer. “At one time, people used to call me the devil,” he says in the end. “They say I was a monster. But through the grace of the most high God, God saved me from myself. And saved a lot of people in the process. Allahu akbar.”
