Hip-Hop's Protest Era

As the Black Lives Matter movement reaches a boiling point artists face a difficult question: How should they respond?

- David Peisner

On July 7th, jay z did something out of character: He released a protest song. The rap-per had reportedly wired tens of thousands of dollars to bail protesters out of jail in Baltimore in 2015, and Tidal donated $1.5 million to Black Lives Matter- related causes earlier this year. But it was only after the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota – as well as the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers at a protest days later – that he finally spoke out. “Just a boy from the hood that/Got my hands in the air in despair/Don’t shoot,” he rhymed on “Spiritual.” He elaborated in a statement: “I’m saddened and disappointed in this America. We should be further along.”

He was not alone. In the days after the videos of the shootings went viral, Beyoncé released a letter that read, in part, “The war on people of color and all minorities needs to be over.” Snoop Dogg and the Game led a march in L.A., and T.I. protested in Atlanta.At least a dozen other artists, from Miguel to Swizz Beatz, released songs in the wake of the shootings.