As protesters ... which practices Mexican Nahua dance, song and drumming, is a frequent presence at Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis and St. … EMAIL ME. Key lyrics: "I can't breathe/ You're taking my life from me/ I can't breathe/ Will anyone fight for me?". © 2021 Billboard Media, LLC. CHANG: George Floyd was a member of the Houston Rap crew Screwed Up Click. But, like Pop Smoke's "Dior" and Mac Dre's "Feelin' Myself," it's also a celebration of home, of community and of being Black in America. By Spotify. ", Key lyrics: "As a rich black man living in this country, it’s hard being comfy/ When the hate your people get is coming from the ones amongst me/ Used to call us 'monkeys' and 'slaves' and we overcame/ Still our work is just beginning, protests look like parades.". Key lyrics: "I find it crazy the police'll shoot you and know that you dead/ But still tell you to freeze/ F---ed up, I seen what I seen/ I guess that mean hold him down if he say he can't breathe/ It's too many mothers that's grieving/ They killing us for no reason/ Been going on for too long to get even/ Throw us in cages like dogs and hyenas/ I went to court and they sent me to prison/ My mama was crushed when they said I can't leave.". The Biz premium subscriber content has moved to Billboard.com/business. Ooh, I'm … Key lyrics: "Those who died are justified/ For wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites/ You justify those that died/ By wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites. With this in mind, YG’s FTP (standing for Fuck the Police), released last week, has become a new anthem of 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests. He says Pop Smoke embodied a lifestyle that Black kids in the city dream of. All Rights Reserved. He was known as Big Floyd. ", A post shared by The Killers (@thekillers) on Jun 7, 2020 at 4:50pm PDT. I see my n--gas down. 6/15/2020 Man, I'm feelin' myself. Say he watch me lay low, never come in high. He's lived in Northern California all his life. Terrace Martin feat. Hip-hop is the soundtrack to Black Lives Matter protests, continuing a tradition that dates back to the blues June 25, 2020 8.20am EDT Tyina Steptoe , University of Arizona The national uprising has also inspired a number of MCs to jump in the studio and record new songs (or refashion older ones) to react and amplify the moment, as well as shine a light on the Black Lives Matter movement. Being Black, being around his friends - that's it. KENDRICK LAMAR: (Rapping) We gon' (ph) be all right. I'm up in all the stores. A great protest song may not help change the world in the same way the civil rights and anti-war movements did a half century ago, or the way the Black Lives Matters movement has this year. TWITTER KELLY: The man who sparked this wave of protests was a rapper himself. BIG FLOYD: (Rapping) It's going down. ", "Killing in the Name," MGK and Travis Barker. We gon' be all right. Key lyrics: "Long as my heart beatin' and I'm breathin' air I'll fight for me, you decide, anytime, anywhere/ And I will never back down from it (From it)/ That's not comin', I just attack from the front. KELLY: Yeah. Malik Yusef, Wyatt Waddell VIC MENSA, Malik Yusef, Wyatt Waddell. Billie Jean, Billie Jean. EU Privacy Preferences, BILLBOARD is a registered trademark of Billboard IP Holdings, LLC. CHANG: The track now rings out at protests as a way to honor the memory of George Floyd. We take a listen to some of the protest songs of 2020, including Black Lives Matter by Richard Alexander, Mercy by Joy Oladokun and Anderson … "Hella F--kin' Trauma," Juicy J He says the Bay Area has a lot of artists with huge local followings who never seem to catch on in the rest of the country. By Gil Kaufman. KELLY: Alphonse Pierre is a staff writer at Pitchfork. A local rap hit is taking on new meaning here. We gon' be all right. It's full of regional slang. Mike Amiri, Mike Amiri. And anytime you have a popular artist who has passed, their music goes to a different level. Even rock acts have stepped up, with The Killers turning their "Land of the Free" into a George Floyd tribute by adding new lyrics to address his killing. Key lyrics: "Cops wanna pull me over, embarrass me/ Abusin' power, you never knew me thought I was arrogant/ As a juvenile, police pulled they guns like they scared of me." MAC DRE: (Rapping) I'm in the building and I'm feelin' myself. Numerous artists are currently delaying their album and song releases amid protests for the Black Lives Matter while some were unable to pull their drop. On Sunday, the Grammy winner performed a moving rendition of her new single "Perfect Way To Die," … 6/15/2020. Hip-hop has been standing up for Black lives for decades: 15 songs and why they matter. They just want to be able to hang out, go to Soho, buy some clothes, play music out of the speakers of their cars, play music from the roof of the buildings. Terms of Use To simplify subscriber access, we have temporarily disabled the password requirement. Jon Bon Jovi on "2020" album, new song about Black Lives Matter movement, and family Grammy award-winning band Bon Jovi recently released its highly anticipated new album. Billboard is a subsidiary of Valence Media, LLC. Enough is enough/...Man, that s--t ain't right, I know my rights, enough is enough/ I can't sit back, let 'em take my life, enough is enough.". That's all that matters. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. 1 hit "Rockstar" with references to the recent protests inspired by Floyd's killing. BRANDON CALDWELL: Essentially, it just kind of bleeds into, like, a homage of where his world is. CHANG: The song "Feelin' Myself" has never charted since it came out in 2004, but Mac Dre is a Northern Californian hero. It's intercut with footage from BLM and anti-police violence protests around the nation. Now, some of the songs heard at the current wave of Black Lives Matter protests are a little different. The rapper dropped a Black Lives Matter remix of his No. KELLY: Houston-based music journalist Brandon Caldwell says he's heard Big Floyd's verse on "Sittin' On Top Of The World" at local protests. In the epic black-and-white video for the "FTP" clip, YG took to the streets of Hollywood to film during a rally honoring victims of police brutality. PUBLIC ENEMY: Fight the power. The rapper/singer just dropped "Get Up" -- which opens with a snippet from a Malcolm X speech on oppression -- with the dark video part of Pain's aim of inspiring others to take a stand an make a difference. The Three Six Mafia MC channeled a lot of "Hella F--kin' Trauma" for his latest protest-fueled anthem, which he posted on SoundCloud June 7. CHANG: The song "Feelin' Myself" by the late Mac Dre is a Bay Area classic. Decade-End Top Artists; ... 10 New Black Lives Matter Protest Songs That You Have to Hear. They want to be able to enjoy their day without worrying about the police harassing them, without worrying about what's going to happen to them the next day. Three-time Grammy award-winning reggae artist Gramps Morgan recorded a version of Johnny Reid's COVID-19 charity single "People Like You" to shed light on the civil unrest and bring hope to people all over the world. 'Be Free,' J Cole (2014) Can you tell me why every time I step outside. ALPHONSE PIERRE: "Dior" itself is basically just Pop Smoke talking about the latest clothes he got, just getting fly on the block. From 1982 to 2020, here are 15 memorable records and lyrics rooted in protest. The rapper dropped a Black Lives Matter remix of his No. PIERRE: That's what, like, every kid in New York wants. Alicia Keys used her 2020 BET Awards performance to deliver a poignant message. Denzel Curry, Daylyt, Kamasi Washington, and G Perico, “Pig Feet” Producer and … A post shared by The Killers (@thekillers). Fight the power. Deborah Jay Winams cries after singing a song at a Black Lives Matter Los Angeles rally to call for justice in the fatal shooting of Kenneth Ross Jr. by Gardena police in 2018. I'm a real G, staying high till I die. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. Songs by the likes of Kendrick Lamar, YG, and Lil Baby stood as bright and exigent conclusions for the Black Lives Matter movement, even if they all … All Rights Reserved. NO MORE TEARDROPS feat. Some of the songs being played during the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. aren't overtly political. CHANG: In New York, the song "Dior" by the late Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke has become a rallying cry, which might seem odd because the lyrics aren't directly political. Big Floyd representing. In 2020, we're still dealing ... the songs created by Black artists that you need to listen to right now. Since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in late May, tens of thousands of Americans haven taken to the streets to protests against police brutality and the killing of Black and brown men and women by armed officers. Black Lives Matter. California Privacy Rights Do you hear me? (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SITTIN' ON TOP OF THE WORLD"). It also finds the singer addressing her Texan roots as well as referencing the COVID-19 pandemic , the West African Orishas Oshun and Yemaya , and Black Lives Matter activist Tamika Mallory . Gil Kaufman “There are songs that are written that come through you,” Winans shared. Machine Gun Kelly and the Blink-182 drummer teamed up for a cover of Rage Against the Machine's incendiary 1993 broadside against racism with a video that reflects on the L.A. protests. Look what I'm whippin' now. June 9, 2020. JUNE 5th / QueenZnGodZ Wale. rapper speaks openly about Floyd and 99 other black people killed by police on  the spoken-word track "Blacklist. Don't catch you slippin' now. The Trump campaign signaled its intent to seize on the Democrats’ decision to embrace Black Lives Matter, suggesting that the movement shows contempt for the police. Key lyrics: "Cops wanna pull me over, embarrass me/ Abusin' power, you never knew me thought I was arrogant/ As a juvenile, police pulled they guns like they scared of me.". Advertising Prince - “Baltimore” “Baltimore,” one of Prince's final singles, was inspired by Freddie Gray, a 25-year … And where you are, Ailsa, in California, it's no different. POP SMOKE: (Rapping) When it rains, it pours. Teejayx6 and TM88, “BLACK LIVES MATTER” Detroit rapper Teejayx6 teamed up with Lil Uzi Vert producer TM88 for a protest song simply titled “BLACK LIVES MATTER… Listen now only on Spotify: Songs of empowerment and pride. “ ‘Black Lives Matter’ is a song that came through me. I Cry Usher. Key lyrics: "Been tired, f--k cardboard signs, we in the field/ It's the Ku Klux cops, they on a mission/ It's the Ku Klux cops, got hidden agendas/ It's the truth, I won't stop/ Open cases, police already hate me, why not/ Make your rich-a-- city look like trash (Look like trash)/ To whoever make the rules, we need answers fast. Some of the songs being played during the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. aren't overtly political. But even with a catalog like his, “Black Lives Matter” is a standout. But I haven't seen enough Black Lives Matter playlists---and especially one curated by a Black woman from the South like myself. Key lyrics: "When I go out in my car, I don't think twice/ But if you're the wrong color skin/ You grow up looking over both your shoulders/ In the land of the free/ How many killings must one man watch in his home/ Till he sees the price on the TV?/ Eight measured minutes and 46 seconds/ Another boy in the bag/ Another stain on the flag.". This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Key lyrics: "If you stand up for those down on their knees/ And lend a voice to those who cannot speak/ If you shine a little light and give sight/ To the ones who've lost their way/ There's a place for people like you.". 1 hit "Rockstar" with references to the recent protests inspired by Floyd's killing. The song tackles issues such as Black history, black culture, police brutality and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Instead, they're rap songs by local heroes — songs celebrating being Black. Copyright © 2020 NPR. by AdChoices Check out ten of the most potent recent protest songs: Lil Baby takes on police brutality and the nationwide protests on his somber new track with the accompanying video featuring footage from the marches. I tried to get a peak into the process of writing it, but Winans had trouble taking any of the credit for it. Photography: Adreinne Waheed Open App. Christian Dior, Dior. Instead, they're rap songs by local heroes — songs celebrating being Black. He's from New York. Don't catch you slippin' now. KELLY: Pendarvis Harshaw of member station KQED. Released June 8, 2020, “Black Lives Matter” released in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that has had a re-surge in the News and Media since the death of George Floyd. Google's Top Hummed Songs 2020; All Year-End Charts; Decade-End. Every protest movement has a soundtrack, and the backbone of many of those soundtracks is hip-hop. All rights reserved. South Side, know what I'm saying? CHANG: To demand a normal life free from harassment with economic opportunity. CHILDISH GAMBINO: (Rapping) This is America. And we turn to heroes in times of trouble. FACEBOOK Key lyrics: "When they gon' stop killin' n---as, man? She like the way I err (ph). © 2019 Billboard Media, LLC. For many, that's what this movement is about. Privacy Policy Begin Slideshow . Enough is enough/ Why they lock up all the real ones man? His world is, you know, home. B-I-G, it's F-L-O-Y-D. Watch me raise up in my droptop seat. Do you feel me? We gon' be all right. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. And protesters in Oakland have been marching to its funky groove. Revolution Songs For The Black Lives Matter Movement. It is the first song he’s released while self-isolating, and his first major solo release of 2020. BIG FLOYD: (Rapping) You know what I'm saying? "Rockstar Black Lives Matter Remix" On June 12, 2020, a remix of the song, titled "Rockstar Black Lives Matter Remix", was released. PENDARVIS HARSHAW: Mac Dre has, like, a legacy that speaks to - across demographics, I think, across racial lines, across age groups. Love Musiq Soulchild. ", The NBA All-Star and Dame D.O.L.L.A. Accuracy and availability may vary. MAC DRE: (Rapping) Man, I'm feelin' myself. Do Not Sell My Personal Information The enigmatic Grammy-winning singer debuted the moving new song "I Can't Breathe" June 10, with a chorus inspired by Floyd's last plea as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Jay Z, "spiritual" Jay Z's hypnotic, fragmented "spiritual" – his first new solo song in three years – … Release of 2020 Media, LLC and may be updated or revised in the U.S. are n't overtly.... Especially one curated by a Black Lives Matter protests in the Name, MGK! The spoken-word track `` Blacklist stop killin ' n -- -as, man 7 2020. Have a popular artist who has passed, their music goes to a different.! Black people killed by police on the spoken-word track `` Blacklist DRE is a staff writer at Pitchfork track! It, but Winans had trouble taking any of the credit for it has passed, their music goes a... Up all the real ones man SMOKE embodied a lifestyle that Black kids in future! 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