The One That Lit the Fuse

“Songs that really stand out to me tend to stick with me. They become tied to whatever chapter I’m in.”

Intro

I’ve always had a strong connection with music. If I like a song, I’ll repeat it over and over—run it into the ground. That’s just how I am. Me and music have always had that type of relationship.

Songs that really stand out to me tend to stick with me. They become tied to whatever chapter I’m in. And that’s how She Knows was for me.

One of my favorite songs of all time is She Knows by J. Cole.

It came out during a real turning point for me. I was in 8th grade, and that year played a big role in shaping who I was becoming. I was going through a lot of change—figuring myself out, starting to speak up more, building confidence, learning how to carry myself.

That was the year I started stepping into my personality. I was beginning to appreciate myself more, starting to hang out outside of school, making new friendships, moving around more. It was a time where things were starting to open up, and I was really starting to grow into who I was.

I don’t remember the exact day I heard She Knows for the first time, but I remember how locked in I was. That song had me glued from the jump. Everything about it just felt like it belonged to that era in my life.

The beat felt almost ominous, but calm. Like something was coming, but it wasn’t loud about it. There was something angelic about the way it sounded. Something that felt deeper than what you could explain.

The sound of it matched what was going on with me. It felt like a new chapter was naturally coming in—and that song was already sitting in the middle of it.

The Music Video

So yeah, like I said, that song quickly became one of my favorites during that time. But the icing on the cake was the music video.

The music video was just amazing. Everything about it stood out. At the time, I wasn’t into photography. I wasn’t thinking about film, or anything like that. But I was still a creator. I was still someone who paid attention to details, even if I wasn’t fully aware of what I was looking at yet. And when I saw She Knows, I knew it was different. I didn’t have to study film to see how beautifully it was shot and directed.

One of my favorite things about the video is the storytelling. The main character’s name is Kyle. The way it followed him and his best friend felt real. They looked like they were around middle or high school age, and you could tell they had that type of bond where you don’t have to say much—you just get each other.

They end up skipping school and going on this wild little journey. Drinking, smoking, skating, going to arcades. Just being out. You could tell they probably came from two different homes, maybe even two different worlds, but when they were together, they had each other. That time they shared was everything. And even at that age, that touched me.

I lost my brother in 2021. That was my other half. My right-hand man. And even before he passed, I would always see us in that video. But now, when I watch it… it hits even harder.

There’s this scene where the cops show up. The boys take off running and try to get away. They go through a hole in a gate, but Kyle gets stuck. And instead of leaving him, his friend turns around and helps pull him through.

That scene was powerful to me. That kind of loyalty, that kind of bond—that’s what me and my brother had. I know what that feels like. I lived that. Right after that, they go to Kyle’s house. His friend stays outside while he goes in. And what he walks in on changes everything—he catches his mom messing around with another man. He runs out.

And his friend sees it. Starts yelling after him, chasing him like, “What happened? What’s going on?” That moment hit me too. Not because of the situation, but because I’ve been that kid. I’ve had stuff going on in my life, and my brother was always the one checking in.

How It Sparked Something In Me

When I finally started picking up a camera, that video was one of the first things I thought back to. If you look at some of my early photography work, the influence is clear. The soft greens, light oranges, skatepark tones. That pastel, laid-back look.

I was definitely trying to mimic that same feeling. The color grade, the scenery, the tone—it was all on purpose. That video stuck in my head, and I wanted to chase that look. Even the way I framed shots—none of it was rushed. I wanted things to breathe. That’s what this video taught me.

It just told the story, and the actors were perfect. It was paced right. Every scene felt thought out. Even now, as an adult, I go back and watch it and get inspired. Every single time. It makes me want to direct. I wanna create something that resembles the color grading, the setup, and even just the storytelling—done in my own way and version of it.

Truth is, I already wrote something inspired by it. I’ve been sitting on it, waiting on the right time to bring it to life. But I know it’s coming. And when it happens, I want it to feel like She Knows felt to me.

Final Thoughts

This video will always mean something to me. It’s probably my favorite music video of all time. It wasn’t only the look of it—it was the way it made me feel too.

It sparked something in me. It gave me a standard. It made me want to make things that mattered. It made me want to move with intention—whether I’m shooting, writing, planning a concept, or just figuring out what story I want to tell.

If I ever got the chance to meet J. Cole, I’d tell him thank you. Thank you for giving that song a visual. A lot of songs don’t get that. Especially deep cuts. And this might not feel like a deep cut to everybody, but it kind of is. And I’m just grateful he gave it a video.

One day, I want to honor it properly. I want to show what it sparked in me. I want to create something that carries that same weight—something someone else might look at years later and say, “Yeah… that did something to me.”