Even though Chance the Rapper’s “Summer Friends” music video premieres later today, his priorities shifted when he heard news that another black man was killed at the hands of white cops. Within 24 hours, the cases of both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile emerged, exemplifying the continued and excessive violence against black men by police.
Last night, Drake addressed the Sterling incident in an open letter that he posted to Instagram. This morning, the Chicago-born rapper addressed the murder of Castile. Castile was pulled over for a broken taillight and was fatally shot as his girlfriend Lavish Reynolds recorded the incident. She was sitting next to him. Her 4-year-old daughter sat in the backseat of the vehicle.
Chance, like most black men, is no stranger to police brutality, especially on black bodies in America. The artist took to Twitter to express his disappointment and concern, and to call into question the consciences of government officials in regards to the incident in Minnesota. He has openly discussed his stance against police brutality in prior interviews but continues the necessary conversation in the following tweets:
