California legend DJ Quik has been mostly quiet musically since releasing 2014’s The Midnight Life, but the recent fatal occurrences of anti-black police brutality has forced him out of this silence. DJ Quik’s soulful new song “Black Friday” directly addresses the legalized endangerment of black life.
“I wrote this piece because I don’t like the tumultuous air surrounding Black People,” Quik wrote on the SoundCloud track description. “Someone had to speak up for the African American community on this Black Friday and I elect Me to do so.”
While the song is specific to police brutality, the track touches on multiple aspects of black life, including the lineage of protest, black hair, and Tupac Shakur’s death. It all ties into his thesis: “Don’t put your hands up, don’t ask him not to shoot / Just say you want to live, now that’s a common truth.” Listen below.
