6LACK has spoken over the high-profile deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in the US in a lengthy Twitter post.
The rapper, was due to drop a new song tonight but pulled it at the last minute, following Floyd’s death earlier this week.
Taking to Twitter, 6LACK wrote: “With the amount of pain, anger I feel in my heart, releasing a new song at this very moment doesn’t feel like a great priority.
“Nothing ever prepares you for how to feel when you’re constantly faced with the last dying breaths of black people, my people on your television or phone screens every single day. To be black in America is to be aware that I’m valued less by some of the people in this country.
wanted to say something before we get to the music… pic.twitter.com/7eVbF6cIEO
— black (@6LACK) May 29, 2020
“So I’m writing this letter because my heart and skin colour won’t ever allow me to be in the public eye and not make it very clear on where I stand in times of injustice. Always and forever before music, the respect of my people comes first.”
He added: “I was planning to release a song tonight and video tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be right doing so without using my platform to bring awareness to larger social topics at hand. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and the many other names to be silenced, due to the abuse of power and racism, have not died in vain.
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“I can’t listen to anyone telling the people in pain, how to cope. We are fed up and RIGHTFULLY SO. We’ve marched, kneeled and petitioned. We’re sick of the hashtags. I know a great amount of us feel helpless and confused about what to do, but all we can do is lend help to others in need right now. Show up for each other.”
Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis late on Monday (May 25) following an altercation with police officers. Floyd, who was African American, was killed when a white police officer appeared to kneel on his neck as he lay on the ground during an arrest.
Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was killed when officers entered her Louisville home early on March 13 as part of a drugs investigation and the death of Arbery in Georgia was brought to light earlier this month when a video was released showing him being shot after a father and son, pursued Arbery after spotting him running in their neighbourhood.
Floyd’s death has sparked outrage with high profile actors including Janelle Monáe, Ice Cube and John Boyega hitting out over the incident.