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ENSPIRE MAGAZINE WS20
Anderson Paak - Lockdown
Anderson Paak released a new single titled “ Lockdown ” on Juneteenth . In the single , you hear the singer vocalizing his frustrations with how black people are treated in this country and . He dives deep on the reason for the protest and some of the misconceptions some people have about them . The song also features a verse from the Top Dawg Entertainment rapper Jay Rock .
The video has cameos from Sir , Syd ( The Internet ), Dominic Fike , Andra Day , Jonathan “ Dumbfoundead ” Park , and Jay Rock . The video is set right after a protest . Immediately you can tell a focal point of the video was to highlight the physical and emotional strain that can come with protesting . The song and the music video correlate quite smoothly because the video provides a visual representation of the pain and frustration addressed in the song . Anderson Paak pours his heart out on this song and provides a visual representation of what it can sometimes cost to stand for a cause .
Lil Baby - The Bigger Picture
Lil Baby released a single titled “ The Bigger Picture ” on June 12th . The song along with the video displays Baby showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement . This may have been a surprise to many people because the Atlanta rapper is typically not known for making socially conscious music . His performance on this song showcases his range and proves he a unique perspective on social justice issues that more people should pay attention to .
Throughout the song , Baby goes in detail on his disdain for the wrongful deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery , and many others . He raps with a sense of anger and confusion while he ’ s trying to make sense of all the racial injustice that ’ s happening in the country . This song is very impactful because it has the potential to spark a lot of thoughts in the minds of younger audiences that may not have been as engaged on these issues before . In this song , Baby gives insight on how he feels about social justice issues , and more importantly , it shows he has a lot to say .
Keedron Bryant - I Just Want To LIve
Keedron Bryant released the song “ I Just wanna live ” was released on June 19th . The song came from the viral video of Keedron singing the acapella of the song on social media . The song was later edited with an instrumental behind it produced by Dem Jointz . The original video on social media garnered large attention and it was celebrated for the powerful message of the song .
One of the major draws of the song is the raw emotion Keedron displays on the song . It was an eye-opener to so many people that someone so young can have this much fear of living as a black man in America . The success of the song landed Keedron record contract with Warner Records . The song has become an unofficial anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement and it continues to be the soundtrack of many protests all over the country .
Nas - Ultra Black
Nas released a single titled “ Ultra Black ” on August 14th . The song has an uplifting , warm tone to it that perfectly correlates with the content and the overall message of the song . In the song , the Queens rapper praises all aspects of blackness . In the song , he lists things that are typically associated with black culture to showcase his love and pride for black culture . Nas does a great job of drilling the message of unity among black people in the content of the song and visually in the music video .
The music video for the song showcases black people from various walks of life . This is done to show that there is beauty in all types of blackness . Showing different types of black people also build a sense of community . In these very grim and depressing times for this song is very refreshing because it reminds us of our worth and the beauty of our culture .