T.I. released “New National Anthem” yesterday (August 21), a song that deals with law enforcement and injustice.
“I know dis may ruffle some feathers…. But my people need to hear this…. BAD,” the rapper said on Instagram following the song’s release.
To start the song off, T.I. speaks about how he feels regarding the country.
“It’s America,” he says. “Land of the handgun. Home of the shotgun. You’re dead if you ain’t got one.”
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In the song, he speaks about being profiled by police.
“What the fuck you know about being a Black man in America?” he says as Skylar Grey sings the hook. “And you wonder why we walk around strapped. Fuck is you sayin’?”
This follows the shooting and killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black man in Ferguson, Missouri. T.I. has spoken about protests that have followed the death of Michael Brown. “We needed to play chess instead of checkers,” T.I. said recently. “We should have waited to see if justice was going to be served first. We shouldn’t have played our strongest hand first.”
The song also speaks on the prison system in this nation, as well as education.
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Listen to the song here.
Two days ago, the rapper also posted several messages on Instagram, including the following image with this caption:
“(To My People)Look at us. Rebels without a cause. Soldiers without a general. A lost generation. Ready for War. No strategy,no training. Armed only with our grief,aggravation, and passionate disdain for our treatment in America. Sick and tired of everything…especially ourselves. We’d rather use the tragedies of our environment as an excuse to act-out,go-off,or turn-up, rather than use our education,talents & future opportunities to get-out,speak-up,& make-a-change. Look at us… Too Enraged to sit around & do nothing. But Too Entrapped in da cycle of vengeance/hostility to do anything WORTH doing. Look at us. So upset with our conditions that we’ve gone into “Fuck-it” mode… “Fuck-the-world” “Fuck-the-Police” And even “Fuck” the wishes & request of a grieving mother,father,family who lost a son…who’s memory they would NOT like to see tarnished by OUR negative ACTIONS/DECISIONS. Naaah G,that ain’t the code, this ain’t da way. What I see us doing is just as futile as swinging wildly into the wind,waiting on the air to get tired. One question to MY PEOPLE: What are we changing…Really? Look at us. Destroying our own community, but continuing to spend money in theirs. Refusing education… re-volving in the same cycle of ignorance instead of e-volving out of it. I must admit that I TOO am disgusted wit America’s treatment. I TOO demand change. But Goddddaaaaamn man…. Look at us!!!!! Although I too am at fault to a degree & I admit that I may not have all da answers… I do have a fun fact for you. Insanity is…Going about things the same way,expecting a different result. U wanna different result? U must take different action. What else do u expect? Look at us!!!”
T.I. also posted the following image with this caption.
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“Look at us….America has created a monster. The result of ignoring & mishandling an already fragile spirited, recently enslaved, presently oppressed race/generation of people. Look at us. We’re the monster that now refuses to be dismissed, overlooked,& ignored. We were brought to this place,unaware of our own cultures,religion,&traditions therefore,we created our own. Now look at us. For years we’ve been crying out for the nation to address the substandard education systems & disparaging treatment of our citizens in communities across America. Our people have had an increasing lack of opportunities for generations. There have been homes broken,lives shattered,and futures lost on your watch….unanswered. Look at us. How long can u expect a nation/race/generation of people to be blatantly disrespected? Spoken to and treated with arrogant tones of insignificance. Our fathers,uncles,brothers& role models were killed& Imprisoned more often than educated. Now look at us. Our friends,& relatives Murdered and cast aside without thought,as though your human life is more valuable than ours. How long can that go on without consequence? Now Look at us. How long can u continue to pass the buck & make excuses of why u can’t do today what should have been done yeste-year? Although I DO NOT support the negative responses & actions of my people in light of dis tragedy….I WILL NOT condone your lack of effort to show any urgency to improve the treatment of our people, nor the living conditions in our communities. Your refusal to address these life altering issues makes events such as these seem inevitable. Although I too am at fault to a degree & I admit that I may not have all da answers… I do have a fun fact for you. Insanity is…Going about things the same way,expecting a different result. U wanna different result? U must take different action. What else do u expect? Look at us!!!”
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