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Rap mogul Jay Z has released a new song titled ‘Spiritual’ in response to the
recent police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. In a
strongly worded statement, Jay Z said he wrote the song a year ago knowing that
it won’t be the last time a black person would be killed by police
officers.
In a statement Jay Z said: ‘I made
this song a year or so ago, I never got to finish it. Punch (TDE) told
me I should drop it when Mike Brown died, sadly I told him, ‘this issue
will always be relevant.
this song a year or so ago, I never got to finish it. Punch (TDE) told
me I should drop it when Mike Brown died, sadly I told him, ‘this issue
will always be relevant.
‘I’m hurt that I knew
his death wouldn’t be the last…. I’m saddened and disappointed in THIS
America – we should be further along. WE ARE NOT. I trust God and know
everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man…. it’s touch
right now. Blessings to all the families that have lost loved ones to
police brutality.’
his death wouldn’t be the last…. I’m saddened and disappointed in THIS
America – we should be further along. WE ARE NOT. I trust God and know
everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man…. it’s touch
right now. Blessings to all the families that have lost loved ones to
police brutality.’
The statement ended
with a quote from the 19th-century abolitionist campaigner Frederick
Douglass: “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where
ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society
is an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither
persons nor property will be safe.”
with a quote from the 19th-century abolitionist campaigner Frederick
Douglass: “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where
ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society
is an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither
persons nor property will be safe.”
Lyrics website genius.com
describes the song as one in which “Jay asserts his spirituality in
dealing with issues of self-worth facing young black men in America”.
The song’s hook is the most direct section to address police violence:
“Yeah, I am not poison, no I am not poison / Just a boy from the hood
that / Got my hands in the air / In despair, don’t shoot / I just wanna
do good, ah.”
describes the song as one in which “Jay asserts his spirituality in
dealing with issues of self-worth facing young black men in America”.
The song’s hook is the most direct section to address police violence:
“Yeah, I am not poison, no I am not poison / Just a boy from the hood
that / Got my hands in the air / In despair, don’t shoot / I just wanna
do good, ah.”
Alongside Jay Z, Swizz Beatz, Solange and Chris Brown have also released songs after the killings.
