Bengals greats reunite for music video to be released Friday

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

It was a historic reunion Wednesday night when former Bengals greats Ickey Woods, Mike Martin, and Ira Hillary attended the Prime Sports Bar on Colerain Avenue for a new music video shoot.

Martin said they’re rebooting the “Who Dey” music video created before their 1988-89 Super Bowl appearance. “We’re passing the torch. Doing a remake of the 1989 video. Passing the torch to these guys this year.”

8 Jan 1989: Running back Ickey Woods of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates during a playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals won the game, 21-10.

Credit: Rick Stewart

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Credit: Rick Stewart

Jim Foster, AKA Bengal Jim, said he remembers when the original song was introduced more than three decades ago. “The generations that didn’t get to experience 1981 and 1988. They get to see it right now,” Foster said. “They’re having fun with it.”

For Martin, the video shoot provides an opportunity for awareness around the Marcus Martin Foundation. His son, Marcus, died in 2014 from a pulmonary embolism. Since then, he’s been focused on providing scholarships, and opportunities for kids.

“The foundation’s biggest thing is making sure that kids understand that there are a lot of people pulling for them. If it’s through sports, through football. That’s how it has to be,” Martin said.

Martin added that Wednesday felt a bit like a reunion of former teammates, friends, and brothers. “I love these guys. They love my son. Whenever I say hey, we’re doing something for Marcus. They come out. They come out. I’m really proud to call us a brotherhood. That’s what we are,” Martin said.

For the fanatics like Bengal Jim, having the opportunity to take part in the music video is just icing on the cake of an already successful Bengals football season.

“Just so cool to see the energy in this city right now. There’s nothing, nothing that brings Cincinnati together like Bengals football when it’s going well. This city is going crazy,” Foster said.

The music video is expected to be released by Power Me Media on Friday.

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