The Isley Brothers – “Friends And Family” (Feat. Snoop Dogg)

The Isley Brothers – “Friends And Family” (Feat. Snoop Dogg)

The Isley Brothers have been making records for 63 years. In 1959, the Cincinnati family band released their first single, the wedding staple “Shout.” (They’d already been performing together for years before then.) These days, the Isley Brothers are down to 79-year-old founding member Ronald Isley and to guitarist Ernest, who didn’t officially join his brothers until 1973 but who played the liquid guitar lines of their ’70s classics. The Isley’s longevity is a baffling thing; they were still making hits into the ’00s, and today, they’ve got a lush and irresistible new song with Snoop Dogg.

Last night, in an Easter Sunday edition of Verzuz, the Isleys took on fellow veterans Earth, Wind And Fire, with Steve Harvey hosting the proceedings. As part of the show, the Isleys debuted their video for their new single “Friends & Family.” It’s a smooth, celebratory soul song about partying with the important people in your life, which seems like an aspirational, fantastical thing these days. Snoop Dogg was still 12 years away from being born when “Shout” came out, but he’s now a fellow beloved veteran, and his breezy verse fits the track’s tone just fine.

Director Erik White’s video is a beautiful sun-dazzled portrait of people coming together again and finding their groove. The Isleys look beautifully happy in it. Check it out below.

The next Verzuz battle is the Method Man/Redman face-off on 4/20.

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