englishi

Racism in America has long been rooted in our history and is disgracefully embedded in our democracy. In an age where news is instantaneous the world has watched in horror as all too similar tragedies of police brutality against African Americans has unfolded across the United States. At a time where words cannot convey the amount of pain and frustration African Americans are enduring, R&B singer Trey Songz released 2020 Riots: How Many Times. The singer used his platform to speak on behalf of those mothers, sons, and daughters that have lost a life at the hands of the police.

Music has long been the voice of political issues and racism dating back as early as the 1960’s after the 1965 Watts riots. Back then “Popular music reflected much of the anger that would boil over during that week”.  Racism did not disappear, it went unchallenged until May 25,2020 where many demanded there be change as the murder George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed by a white Minneapolis Police Officer went viral. His death sparked a movement where people across the United States began to demand a change and yet many still stayed silent. As history would repeat itself, some chose silence as the answer becoming blind to everyone but those of color who were seeing the color of racism very well.

Trey Songz sings about holding silent people accountable, comparing their silence to being colorblind. I believe these lyrics challenge us all to speak up and understand that silence is equivalent to racist actions. He also asks the weighted questions how many more deaths, marches, or times does it take for there to be change? After George Floyd there was Breonna Taylor who was sitting on her couch when she was murdered by police, followed by Ahmaud Arbery who was out for a jog when two Caucasian men assumed, he committed a crime and decided to take his life. All found to be justified, and the world responded.

Finally, the pain of injustice was felt in every home, the world marched with the United States in hopes of sending a message that racism was alive and would no longer be tolerated. Artists such as Trey Songz, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and more decided to use their platform to convey a pain that words could not describe.

Works Cited

Reeves, Mosi. “15 Songs That Predicted the L.A. Riots .” RollingStone, 28 Apr. 2017, 7:15PM ET, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/15-songs-that-predicted-the-l-a-riots-125494