Earlier this morning, the Ferguson, Missouri police department identified Darren Wilson as the officer who shot Michael Brown, whose death ignited violent protests and chaos in the St. Louis suburb over the past week.
Yesterday Childish Gambino shared a poem he wrote about the shooting, and now J. Cole has released a tribute as well, Rolling Stone reports.
In a track called "Be Free," Cole sings over somber piano loop and samples of a news report. He sounds as if he is on the verge of tears singing, "All we want to do is take the chains off/All we want to do is be free."
He later asks, "Can you tell me why, every time I step outside my house I see my n***as die?"
But makes it clear, "I'm letting you know, there ain't no gun they make that can kill my soul."
"I'm tired of being desensitized to the murder of black men," rapper J. Cole said in a statement on the Dreamvillain website after releasing the song. "I don't give a f**k if it's by police or peers. This shit is not normal."
"There was a time in my life when I gave a f**k," Cole contiued. "Every chance I got I was screaming about it. I was younger. It's so easy to try to save the world when you're in college. You got nothing but time and no responsibility. But soon life hits you. No more dorms, no more meal plan, no more refund check. Nigga need a job. Nigga got rent. Got car note. Cable bill. Girlfriend moves in and becomes wife. Baby on the way. Career advances. Instagram is poppin. Lebron leaves Miami. LIFE HITS. We become distracted. We become numb. I became numb. But not anymore. That coulda been me, easily. It could have been my best friend.... I made a song. This is how we feel."
In a statement on the song's SoundCloud, Cole wrote, "Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free."
Check out the song for yourself below, and let us know what you think in the comments section!
