On June 1st, fans in the Linkin Park community woke up to an odd message from Mike Shinoda- he had been hacked, and it was in fact Boris on his social accounts.

Boris, a sock. From the sock condo we typically call ‘the drawer.’

What many fans assumed to be a quick joke, turned into a full-blown eight day promo; fans could now hit up Mike on Messenger and have conversations with Boris, where he claimed being busy on a music video far superior to any Mike had ever made.

With sassy, sometimes rude auto-replies and puns, keywords and phrases triggering hidden replies, Boris also dropped hints from behind the scenes.

He even brought in Miss Oatmeal, also a sock. (A hot sock, in some eyes.)

“He’s lost it,” some started saying. “Mike Shinoda has lost it.”

A certain gif preview, however, immediately confirmed to fans that had already read the tracklist and been to listening parties, that this was real- a paper cut out was flying by string in the background. A background with the unique style of art we already recognized as Mike’s, parts of it drawn and put together with an endearing aspect of a child making it.

That cut out was a ghost.

“Ghosts” was the next song to be released and with each preview Boris sent in the mornings, more of the song was revealed and more of the music video, starring sock puppets, was shown.

That music video finally dropped tonight.

Some of you may have the immediate reaction of laughing, with a look on your face that screams, “are you serious?”

There’s something that can’t be ignored, though: can you imagine the music video that would be made for this song, otherwise?

And when the lights go down / I see things I can’t explain / Calling out my name / The lights go down / Holding every memory close / Tonight is for our ghosts / Ghosts

A music video properly expressing what the lyrics do, is a music video Mike, the family, the crew, and the fans, aren’t ready to see perhaps.

Because we know exactly who calls out his name, and which memories he holds close.

Boris brought a silly joy to the Linkin Park community and Mike truly created, from scratch, an entire music video starring socks. And, as July comes closer and closer… isn’t this exactly what we needed to be able to embrace such a beautiful, heartbreaking song?

We think it is.