Watch Pete Rock’s James Brown-Inspired ‘Say It Again’ Video

Pete Rock looked to James Brown when making his new “Say It Again” video.

The hip-hop producer told Complex that he took inspiration from the funk legend’s “Say It Again, I’m Black and I’m Proud.” The clip shows the hip-hop producer playing records, hitting the studio with a rotating crew of musicians and holding a sign that reads “I Am a Man” in an outdoor basketball court.

The grooving, atmospheric “Say It Again” highlights Rock’s upcoming LP PeteStrumentals 3, out December 11th. It’s the third installment of a series of instrumental hip-hop projects, following 2001’s PeteStrumentals and its 2015 sequel.

Rock crafted the record with his newly formed band, the Soul Brothers, which includes drummer Daru Jones (Jack White, Talib Kweli), guitarist Marcus Machado, bassists MonoNeon (Prince, Nas) and Christian McBride (Sting), keyboardist BigYuki (A Tribe Called Quest) and singer Jermaine Holmes (D’Angelo).

“A lot of this album sounds like samples extracted from records,” Rock said in a statement. “We dress it up and add definition to what it is. It’s Hip-Hop, but have you ever heard Pete Rock not sample anything or work with a band? It’s exciting. I’m a musician, whether I’m sampling or not … I wanted to keep the same feeling that people got with the first PeteStrumentals, even if I’m not sampling. I want the best; I’m like James Brown and Kool & The Gang; I want precision.”

Rolling Stone recently premiered “Say It Again,” with Rock detailing his creative mindset for the release. “This is something that I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “Being an avid digger of albums and 45s, I now have a band to study and reinterpret these records. Presenting this to the world is so fulfilling.”