This week, month, and year have been exhausting for Black America. There’s always a battle raging somewhere against power structures that prey and pray for our downfall. Gathered here are a collection of staff-curated songs that embody the spirit of protest. #RIPGeorgeFloyd
“Protest Music” (5/29/2020) Playlist
Tonja Stidhum
Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit”
The Beatles “Come Together”
The Temptations “Ball of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)“
Monique Judge
dead prez featuring Jay-Z “Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)“
Public Enemy “Fight The Power”
Gil Scott-Heron “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
J’na Jefferson
H.E.R. featuring YBN Cordae “Lord Is Coming”
Beyoncé “Formation”
James Brown “Say It Loud-I’m Black and I’m Proud”
Kendrick Lamar “Alright”
Genetta Adams
Bob Marley & The Wailers “War”
Panama Jackson
Tevin Campbell “Tomorrow”
Sam Cooke “A Change Gon’ Come”
Rage Against the Machine “Bulls on Parade”
Queen Latifah “U.N.I.T.Y.”
U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
Joi “Freedom”
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes “Wake Up Everybody”
Curtis Mayfield “(Don’t Worry) If There’s Hell Below, We’re All Going To Go”
Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”
Maiysha Kai
Prince “America”
Pointer Sisters “Yes, We Can Can”
Tracy Chapman “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”
Gil Scott-Heron “Who’ll Pay Reparations on My Soul?”
Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar “Freedom”
Stevie Wonder “Jesus Children of America”
Donny Hathaway “Someday We’ll All Be Free”
Isley Brothers “Fight the Power”
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five “The Message”
Aretha Franklin & the Royal Philharmonic “People Get Ready”
Childish Gambino “This Is America”
Terrence Trent D’Arby “If You All Get to Heaven”
Anne Branigin
D’Angelo “Betray My Heart”
Nina Simona “Backlash Blues”
Bob Marley & The Wailers “Redemption Song”
Lauryn Hill “Conquering Lion”
Jay Connor
Dilla “Fuck The Police”
Anthony David “Krooked Kop”
N.W.A. “Fuck Tha Police”
PJ Rickards
Bob Marley & The Wailers “Burnin’ and Lootin’”
Richard Pryor “Niggers Vs. The Police”
Big L featuring Fat Joe “The Enemy”
D’Angelo “The Charade”
Michael Harriot
Tupac “Fuck All Y’all”