On this trying Friday, September 23, 2016, the never shy DJ Quik felt like he had to speak on the blatant injustices African Americans are being dealt with when it comes to the scope of Johnny Law. Both Terence Crutcher and Keith Lamont Scott died this week with nothing to show for it. Crutcher’s killer, officer Betty Shelby has been brought up on manslaughter 1 charges but there is little doubt within the black community that those allegations will stick in a court of law. Meanwhile, in Maryland, a neighborhood is up in arms over the police’s handling of a 15-year-old girl; a situation that was made appalling when they decided to pepper spray her as she sat handcuffed in the back of the squad car.
Yes, it’s Friday, September 23, 2016, and the legendary West Coast producer has unearthed a new record called “Black Friday,” a HipHopDX premiere. Over the melodic and ruminative soulful potion he produced himself, Quik lyrically spills out his frustrations as, even with all his accolades amassed in a 30-year career, is simply just a black man living in America like so many others across this portion of the map.
Over the course of three minutes, he tackles Donald Trump’s scrupulous stop-and-frisk ideas for black people, what his slain friend Tupac would do had he not recently celebrated a 20-year anniversary in the afterlife (“If Pac was here, he’d write a song that would calm ya down/And I’d probably produce it, give it that Compton sound”) and of course, police shooting unarmed citizens dead in the street. He even dropped off a note for the fans who inhabit Soundcloud.
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“I wrote this piece because I don’t like the tumultuous air surrounding Black People. Someone had to speak up for the African American community on this Black Friday and I elect Me to do so,” he wrote before stamping it with the government, “Love, David Blake aka DJ Quik.”
Rosecrans the album may be on the way but for now, it’s time to reflect on “Black Friday.”
