Jamaican Dancehall & Reggae Artistes Denounce Killing Of George Floyd
The Jamaican music fraternity is adding its voice to the cries for justice of George Floyd, a 46-year-old who was killed on Monday in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, despite an unarmed Floyd saying “I can’t breathe.”
The recorded incident has triggered a wave of protests across the United States, and the burning of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct. The ex-officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, which carry a combined maximum sentence of 35 years.
Among the hashtags and photos denouncing the violent act are some reggae and dancehall artistes who are calling for an end to crimes committed against black people.
“Big and serious this sh– needs to stop,” Queen Ifrica captioned in a viral photo that collages Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, and former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem in 2016, which he did in protest of racial injustice and police brutality.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CArAhzRl70E/
Ifrica added, “White people who know that this is wrong should start speaking up about it, Race Hate Is Wrong. Oh Black People if only we could get our sh– together.”
It was only a few weeks ago that a video surfaced of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery who was killed by two white men while jogging in Georgia. The incident took place in February, a month before Louisville resident Breonna Taylor was shot at least eight times when police forced their way into her apartment without properly identifying themselves. Floyd’s death has since sparked literal fires in Louisville as people protest over the fatal shooting of Taylor.
In several Instagram posts, unreserved artiste Tanya Stephens posited, “When will enough be enough? When will we change the strategy?”
She expounded, “Let me be a broken record one more motherf—— time: racism is a branch of the fear tree. You can NOT get rid of it by chopping off the branch while fertilising the tree…the sh*t will simply regrow! We’ve been talking categorically for decades and the problem grows yet we REFUUUUUSE to entertain the thought we MIGHT be wrong!” she captioned in part.
“Every time I look at the discussions, the comments, the sweeping grandiose statements of learned indignation recycling the same fetid cliche bullsh–…I want to vomit! For many of you, this has subconsciously become just another fad and carefully groomed outrage is just another outlet in your endless quest for ‘herd’ approval but I am not of your herd so do not bring it to me! My disgust is bloodcl— real!”
Like Rihanna, who in February said one’s circle should “pull up” on black issues, Stephens declared that racial crimes are everybody’s problem, and encouraged people, regardless of their ethnicity, to be vocal.
Meanwhile, reggae legend Bob Marley’s son, Ziggy Marley, posted a photo baring lyrics of his dad’s 1976 song War, just one of several posts dedicated to Floyd.
People often ask what is the babylon that we reference in music+words. The unnecessary, unwarranted killing of #georgefloyd and the systems that continually perpetuate and justify the abuse of people of African ascent in america is the perfect example of what BABYLON represents. pic.twitter.com/zqgfbsSXEo
— Ziggy Marley (@ziggymarley) May 29, 2020
“People often ask what is the babylon that we sometimes reference in music and in words,” he said.
“The unnecessary, unwarranted killing of #georgefloyd and the systems and institutions that continually perpetuate and justify the abuse of people of African ascent in america through its history and plainly today is the perfect example of what BABYLON represents. do you understand? So when @bobmarley says that the Babylon system is a vampire sucking the blood of the sufferer for me it literally translate to what I saw on that video!!! JAH.”
Dancehall deejay Beenie Man posted, “It’s rough being a BLACK MAN But Its only because of the POWER THEY KNOW WE POSSESS.”
Buju Banton, Gramps Morgan, Ce’Cile, and Spragga Benz have also denounced the killing of Floyd.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAtGB7bn8m2/
New York-based producer Sting International, and Tony Matterhorn have also added their voices to the calls for justice.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAss3LaAsNd/