UK global star Bakar shares his brand new single “The Mission” featured along with an official video
While 2018’s acclaimed BadKid mixtape embodied the anger and rebellion of a wild punk kid, the intervening years of self-reflection have seen Bakar become increasingly connected to his own heritage and focused on cementing his future legacy. “The Mission” renders this vision perfectly (“All I want is my kids to have some nepotism, all I want is my world to have some repetition, call my unborn son and tell him that’s the mission“). Produced by longtime collaborator Zach Nahome alongside SebastiAn, it’s more emotional, expansive and ambitious than anything Bakar has done before.
“The Mission” is accompanied by an incredible video from acclaimed Los Angeles-based director Jack Begert (Kendrick Lamar, Doja Cat, Vince Staples).
Bakar says: “To me, the song is about the want and need for a better future, especially for 1st generation kids of immigrant backgrounds – telling our stories is so important. I’m trying to represent and reclaim my Islamic faith for a new progressive generation. This is ultimately about peace but so often our symbols and flags have been hijacked for the wrong purposes. I see what’s happening in Kabul this week and pray for the people there.”
Bakar has seen his star quickly rise with the release of his late 2019 EP Will You Be My Yellow? and break-out hit “Hell n Back.” That single, along with 2020’s “1st Time” has gone on to find major success on the Alternative charts, while at the top of 2021 Bakar became the first artist since Lorde in 2014 to have their first two charting singles go to #1 on the Billboard AAA chat.
He is also set to make his first live appearances of 2021 next weekend, taking the stage at the iconic Reading and Leeds festival.