Songs

Joe Budden – “Freedom (Freestyle)”

blame it on Patrick Glynn July 12, 2016
joe-budden-rage-freedom

Placing the slow cooking of Drake on the back burner, Joe Budden speaks on the most recent killings of black people at the hands of police on a freestyle over Beyoncé’s “Freedom” — unofficially reuniting with Just Blaze.

Starting the song with a clip of Diamond Reynolds — the girlfriend of Philando Castile, one of the men killed by police last week — and her daughter, Budden rattles off name after name of those who’ve been killed while taking aim at those in power who aren’t doing a damn thing about it. Budden’s in a zone right now, and there aren’t many who can passionately take aim at an issue like Joey can.

“I was told there was once a world where slaves communicated with each other via music, and tho I wasn’t present for that, the HipHop I fell in love with always encouraged me to do the same (Thank you Public Enemy),” Budden says. “Let this act as an unfortunate reminder that times change and they don’t. #BlackLivesMatter #YallLivesMatter #OurLivesMatter … I’m afraid to wonder what happens when we as a ppl decide to stop saying it. Some deem us threatening now by sheer design. We are not. We are loving, passionate, cultured and proud, even during unrest. However, with every life viciously and maliciously taken by costumed evil, we grow more and more afraid. What will occur when too many of us are afraid?”

Check the freeverse below.