Musicians urge Biden-Harris to launch racial justice initiative with ’17 Ways Black People Are Killed in America’ video
As a followup to the 2016 video '23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America' featuring Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Pink, Bono, and others, the the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) teamed with the #breathewithme Revolution and several musicians to make a new video, '17 Ways Black People Are Killed in America,' that urges Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to launch a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) during the first 100 days of administration. It features Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, A$AP Ferg, Offset, Rapsody, Ty Dolla $ign, Vic Mensa, 070 Shake, Khalid, Asian Doll, Summer Walker, and others reading off names of police brutality victims and the unconscionable reasons they were killed, such as "Walking down the street, Elijah McClain," "Jogging, Ahmaud Arbery," "Sleeping in your car, Rayshard Brooks," "Accused of using a fake 20, George Floyd," and "Sleeping in your bed, Breonna Taylor."
"I can’t believe that just four and a half years after we released ’23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America,’ we’re here to share ‘17 More Ways’ Black lives have been lost to racism," Alicia Keys said. "2020 will never be forgotten as a year of awakening for many. More than 1,000 people were killed by police violence, with Black people accounting for a disproportionate amount of those deaths. We all see it with our own eyes! While we warmly welcome the Biden-Harris administration to the White House this week, let’s hold them accountable to offering actionable, systemic solutions to protecting and empowering Black Lives. On the day of ‘The Dream,’ let us not become complacent. Let’s stand up to ensure we see real change in the first 100 days of our new administration by joining the #breathewithme Revolution."
Watch the '17 More Ways' video and the original '23 Ways' video below. Learn more at breathewithmerevolution.org.