Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s)
By Brother Jesse Muhammad
You’ve heard me say it over and over again on my blog: Pittsburgh’s Jasiri X is the most important voice in Hip-Hop right now. He’s the People’s MC; unafraid to use his lyrical bars and platforms to speak out on that which is relevant and affecting the masses. Sure, every now and then, you see other artists release a track or post a few tweets in outrage, but Jasiri has been consistent. That’s key and why people paying more attention to him.
His latest release, 212° Degrees, addresses the recent uproar following the killing of unarmed Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. He also touches on the murder of Renisha McBride, Eric Garner, John Crawford, and Ezell Ford.
“I never really wanted the role of Hip-Hop artist that speaks when something tragic happens in our community, but I guess it is what it is, I got so many calls, tweets, and texts from folks asking me to say something so here it is.It’s raw and angry because that’s how I feel about more Black death unjustly at the hands of the police,” said Jasiri X.
“For Michael Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, and Ezell Ford, I hope your lives are not in vain, and God brings your families peace. For my community, this won’t stop until we stop it, and the first step is unity. I called this song 212 degrees because that’s the boiling point. The lid is about to blow off this whole masquerade,” he said.
In the rhyme he spits, “Black bodies being fed to the system/Black American dead or in prison/Love for the murderer never the victim/Dead kids cant beg your forgiveness.”
Click and LISTEN to the full track: 212° – Jasiri X (Produced by Soy Sos)
