R&B and Soul Singer Leela James gets gangsta! Who said pretty faces and soul singers can’t “Set it Off”? Well, Syleena Johnson, Avery Sunshine, and legendary LA rapper Medusa teamed up with Leela James to shoot the creative video for Leela’s new single, “Thought U Knew” which pays homage to the legendary film, “Set it Off”. In the 4-minute visual, Leela reinvents the role of Stony which was originally played by Jada Pinkett Smith.
She embodied the role by also cutting off her infamous long hair and embracing a new short haircut. The 4 ladies had a blast filming this video as they each have shared a bond and friendship for over a decade. “Thought U Knew” is the follow-up to the current Billboard Top 15 single, "Right Back In It" from Leela’s highly anticipated new album which is also titled “Thought U Knew”. The project will be released on all platforms on October 27th.
The ultra soulful, funky single is written by Leela and frequent collaborator Francesca Richard and produced by Rex Rideout. The video was filmed in Houston by Dang Films.
Leela is currently on the US leg of her “Right Back In It” world tour. She heads to Europe in mid-October. Ms. James is preparing to launch her girl talk series “Right Back In It” where she is going to HBCU campuses to chat with female students about self-love, setting goals, and getting “Right Back In It” mentally and physically to be a successful student. She is scheduled to make stops at Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, and Morris Brown College.