A Playlist to Fight the Power

A PLAYLIST TO FIGHT THE POWER POWER

STORY BY DARIUS JOHARI AND AUSTIN WEATHERMAN PHOTO BY DANIELLE JAQUEZ ART BY DARIUS JOHARI DESIGN BY CANDACE CASTILLO

From protesting against wars and police brutality to fi ghting for equal rights and social change, people are screaming to have their voices heard.

Music is an infl uential and powerful tool for the movement, and one that many artists use to convey concerns and shed light on injustice.

Tusk curated a playlist of songs that will inspire you to rise up and “Fight the Power.”

1992: “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine

The hard rock band’s fi rst album voiced the frustration and anger felt during the 1992 L.A. Uprisings. Tensions from years of abusive policing, neglect, and capitalist ravaging of Black and Brown communities peaked after police o cers were acquitted of brutally beating Rodney King.

“Killing in the Name” exposes racist folks in power who abuse their position to uphold an unjust and oppressive status quo. Listeners will feel infl amed as the band sings, “Some of those that work forces / are the same that burn crosses.”

2006: “Strength” by Ignite

Ignite is a band from Orange County who writes music with the intent to bring social causes and political injustices to public attention.

In the song, “Strength,” lyrics such as “Hold my hand / and I’ll help you through this / don’t you give up now / I want to help another / persevere my brother” show that we can depend on each other for strength and perseverance to keep fi ghting for a more humane world.

In the song, “Strength,” lyrics such as “Hold my hand / and I’ll help you through

2008: “Stand Up” by Flobots

The Flobots are an experimental raprock band who use their music to protest against police brutality and the war in Iraq. Their song, “Stand Up,” urges listeners to take a stand against social injustice.

The lyrics “We shall not be moved/ except by a system that is rotten through/ neglecting the victims and orderin’ the cops to shoot/ high treason, now we have to prosecute,’ empower solidarity in the fi ght against oppressive and controlling forces.

2015: “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar

“Alright” is arguably the most recognized protest song of our generation. Following the uprisings ignited by the fatal police shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and countless other Black folks murdered at the hands of the police, the words “We gon’ be alright” became a mantra for mourners.

The song was solidifi ed as an uplifting rallying cry when Lamar performed “Alright” on top of a police car during the 2015 BET Awards.

2020: “Lockdown” by Anderson .Paak

Anderson .Paak’s single “Lockdown” was released on Juneteenth, the inaugural national holiday celebrating the freedom of enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation o cially came into e ect.

The song details the downtown L.A. uprisings that took place following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. “Lockdown”expresses the double entendre of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and the LAPD’s attempt to lockdown local uprisings for racial justice.

2020: “I Can’t Breathe” by H.E.R.

“I Can’t Breathe” is a powerful, soulful song by R&B singer H.E.R that hits listeners to the core with its chorus: “I can’t breathe / you’re taking my life from me / I can’t breathe / will anyone fi ght for me?”

The words “I can’t breathe” reverberate within the BLM movement as those same words that were uttered by Eric Garner when the police choked out his life, then re-uttered by George Floyd as he was murdered in broad daylight. TU SK