Streaming

Jay Z releases emotional new song addressing police brutality

‘We should be further along.’

Photo of Audra Schroeder

Audra Schroeder

Jay Z took to the mic to address how our nation’s grappling with police brutality this week.

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“Spiritual,” which is streaming on Tidal, debuts at the end of a tragic week that’s seen the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile broadcast to the world, as well as the deaths of police officers and civilians in Dallas. In a statement accompanying the release, Jay Z states that he’s been working on the song for a while. 

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The song follows Beyoncé‘s powerful statement on the recent shootings and police brutality, which begins: “We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities.” 

On the chorus of “Spiritual,” Jay Z states: “I am not poison, no I am not poison/Just a boy from the hood that/Got my hands in the air/In despair, don’t shoot.” On a verse, he gets more personal as he wonders how he’ll protect his young daughter, Blue Ivy. 

You can listen to the track here

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The Daily Dot