On the heels of their recent Verzuz battle with Earth, Wind & Fire, the Isley Brothers are back with new music– their first single to drop since 2017. The song titled “Friends and Family” features Snoop Dogg and looks to be a summer bop.
The accompanying video, directed by Erik White, features the duo dressed to the nine’s crooning the tune while hosting a small, pandemic-approved gathering of family friends in person and some special guest virtually that include singer Syleena Johnson and actresses LisaRaye McCoy, Vivica A. Fox, Kym Whitley, Sherri Shepherd.
Ernie Isley shows off his guitar skills while Ron Isley sings, “Although we didn’t have much we still had each other/And what we went through, we went through it together/We stick together through thick or thin/I thank God for family and all my day one friends.”
Snoop Dogg’s verse comes in to remind you that he is still the party King when it comes to dropping a rhyme. His mellow cadence fits the melodic groove that the Isley Brothers are known for. Snoop also filmed his video appearance via Zoom.
The Isley Brothers have been in the music business for more than six decades and have worked with artists like Carlos Santana, producers like Jermaine Dupri and a host of others to help shape and reinvent their sound over the years. It has been 15 years since they released a full-length album of their own. Their last recording was a collaboration with Santana called “Power of Peace.”
Sunday’s Verzuz between the Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire was more of a trip down memory lane than a competition. Steve Harvey hosted the event, and DJ D-Nice played the tracks. Steve Harvey said in his introduction, “This ain’t a Verzuz. This is a celebration.”
The new single, “Friends and Family,” and the video for it were released after the “celebration.”
