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Artist News Releases
Jay-Z and Beyonce call for action following Alton Sterling and Philando Castile deaths
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 11 July 2016
Jay-Z has released his first solo track for three years, titled ‘Spiritual’, in tribute to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the two black men killed by police in the US last week.
“I made this song a while ago, [but] I never got to finish it”, said the rapper in a statement. “[Top Dawg Entertainment co-president] Punch told me I should drop it when Michael Brown died. Sadly, I told him, ‘this issue will always be relevant’. I’m hurt that I knew his death wouldn’t be the last”.
He continued: “I’m saddened and disappointed in THIS America – we should be further along. WE ARE NOT. I trust God and know that everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man… it’s tough right now. Blessings to all the families that have lost loved ones to police brutality”.
Beyonce also responded to last week’s deaths, holding a minute’s silence before a show in Glasgow last week, and publishing a letter on her website calling on Americans to contact their local politicians to “demand social and judicial changes”.
“We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities”, she wrote. “It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they ‘stop killing us’. We don’t need sympathy, we need everyone to respect our lives”.
“We’re going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent actions by those who are sworn to protect us should consistently go unpunished. These robberies of lives make us feel helpless and hopeless, but we have to believe that we are fighting for the rights of the next generation, for the next young and women who believe in good”.
“This is a human fight. No matter your race, gender or sexual orientation. This is a fight for anyone who feels marginalised, who is struggling for freedom and human rights. This is not a plea to all police officers but toward any human being who fails to value life. The war on people of colour and all minorities needs to be over. Fear is not an excuse, hate will not win”.
“We all have the power to channel our anger and frustration into action”, she concluded. “We must use our voices to contact the politicians and legislators in our districts and demand social and judicial changes”.
