PROTEST PLAYLIST
Gambino, NWA + the Soundtrack to a Revolution
The Black Lives Matter movement’s resurgence has inspired artists of all mediums to use their gift as an act of solidarity. Musicians are leading the charge — many of our favorites have rapid-released new tracks about the injustices they’ve witnessed and their insistence on change.
We at PROVOKR compiled a Protest Playlist of some of our favorite new tracks, along with some older favorites from past movements.
In the wake of the massive protests against police brutality, there’s been a collective revisiting of NWA’s classic anti-cop anthem, “Fuck tha Police.” Initially released in 1988, it made waves across pop culture and continues to today. To add another throwback to the mix, we also included Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up.” The song’s insistence on change was inspired by what Marley saw while touring Haiti in the early 1970s.
Another on our playlist is the people’s new protest track of choice, “This is America” by Childish Gambino. The rapper drew widespread praise when he released it in 2018. The Grammy-winning song and its striking music video take a hard look at both the rampant gun violence that plagues the United States and its longstanding racism and discrimination. Other notable inclusions, from recent years, are Beyonce’s “Freedom” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.”
We finish off with some of the newest protest anthems released in recent weeks. Our essentials include DaBaby and Roddy Ricch’s BLM remix of their chart-topping hit “Rockstar.” We’ve also listed YG’s “FTP,” a testament to the NWA original, along with the latest from Meek Mill, Trey Songz and Lil Baby.
