Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard released a brand new track, this time not dissing Shaquille O'Neal or Marvin Bagley III.
The All-Star point guard took to Twitter to announce the release of “Blacklist,” a track condemning racism and those who perpetuate it.
Let me vent…https://t.co/gfSo0GyUq0
🎹 by @KevChoice #Blacklist #DameDOLLA #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/jH7nrugwDS
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 9, 2020
Lillard gets right to work from the opening lines:
WARNING: Explicit lyrics.
“As a Brother with a good heart/
I say f*** you if you're racist/
or white staying quiet/
you disabling the changes.
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Lillard has been outspoken about the racial inequality and police brutality swarming the country. But he hasn't let his words be the only ones effecting change, taking matters into his own hands and feet, marching in protest alongside his community.
He's also given back to his native Oakland during the offseason, organizing events and performing concerts in his hometown, as well as giving back to his new home in Portland.
Lillard has become one of the star activists in the league, and his progressive thinking reflects clearly in his impassioned lyrics:
” As a rich black man/
living in this country/
It's hard being comfy/
when the hate yo people/
get is coming from/
the ones amongst me.
Used to call us monkeys/
and slaves until we overcame/
Still our work is just beginning/
protests look like parades.”
This track is vastly different from the beat-heavy ones Dame D.O.L.L.A. has released in the past — rapped in a spoken-word, poetry-like way, accompanied by the piano of Oakland musician Kev Choice.
Unlike other NBA players, Lillard can reach others through his music as well as his play. While coaches and some of his contemporaries have been outspoken on matters of race, “Blacklist” is a must-listen for those wanting to educate themselves on the struggles that African Americans face daily.
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