Ty Dolla $ign voiced how apparent police brutality in America continues to be after George Floyd, a Black man from Minnesota who died after a white cop knelt on his neck (the independent autopsy recently ruled it a homicide due to asphyxiation), in a new song he recorded last night (May 31).
The R&B crooner recorded the anthem for change alongside Skrillex, Ant Clemons, German DJ Virtual Riot and Nia Miranda, an actress and activist who garnered a lot of attention while attending this weekend’s protests in Los Angeles, Calif. for videotaping non-Black women tagging local business with “Black Lives Matter” to tarnish the movement’s peaceful image.
“Rip #georgefloyd and all the others that lost there life to police brutality and injustice. Sh–s been happening for far too long now . It’s time for change and we demand it ! @skrillex @antclemons @officialvirtualriot @nia_miranda and I made this last night hope u enjoy !” Ty Dolla wrote on Instagram today (June 1).
The untitled song features Clemons’ and Ty Dolla’s airy vocals carrying the heavy weight of their words: “I know you see it/ My people dying in the streets they ain’t breathing/ I know you heard about it/ You know the issues, but the problems you ain’t speaking,” the latter sings before joining Clemons for the chorus, “How many more of my brothers/ Do I gotta lose till I see change/ I know you see it/ but we need change/ How many more of these mothers/ Gotta lose they child til’ we fix things/ I know you see it/ but we need change.”
Miranda comes in at the end of the minute-long recording that the Beach House 3 artist shared, as a paramount phrase from one of her Instagram videos, “When you see stuff like that, you supposed to stand up and say something,” repeats over the electronically warped ethereal breakbeat.
Ty Dolla last collaborated with Skrillex last year for “Midnight Hour” with Boys Noize, and he last worked with Clemons on Kanye West‘s gospel record “Everything We Need” from his No. 1 Billboard 200 gospel album JESUS IS KING.
Listen to their song below.