Jay Z took to the mic to address how our nation’s grappling with police brutality this week.
“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.
JAY Z "spiritual" https://t.co/FxIqTUAEQg pic.twitter.com/syE18CioNM
— TIDAL (@TIDAL) July 8, 2016
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.