'Don T Shoot,' It's Watching Baltimore: So, Now What?

Modern music reveals a pervasive level of racial tension presently plaguing the United States. The issue is so widespread that it has driven several famous artists to collaborate in lyrical expression in songs such as “Don’t Shoot” (The Game, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Diddy, Fabolous, Wale, DJ Khaled...TGT, 2012-2014). The unity seen in this song is mirrored in the response from the African-American communities following the riots in Baltimore. These riots, caused by a startling recent increase in police shootings, have involved prominent figures, such as Reverend Al Sharpton, religious groups-including local churches, and even average citizens to join forces to protest the disparages facing their community (Shipp, 2015). Many may believe that

Over time, Americans should have been making changes left and right towards equality, but this has hardly happened. The article, Everyone 's Watching Baltimore: So, Now What?” (Shipp, 2015), the song "Don 't Shoot” (The Game, 2012-2015) and “I’m Black and I’m Proud” (Brown, 1968), are composed of similar qualities that intertwine the article and songs together. “Don’t Shoot” is an expression and an outcry reflecting on recent Ferguson riots and Michael Brown shooting. This is evident in the lyrics: “Mothers crying stop the riots, we ain 't got to chalk the city” (The Game, 2012-2015, line 15). The song cries for peace among all races, not specifically between African-Americans and Caucasians. Something as universal as motherhood and wanting their child to be safe appeals to all listeners. The song focuses on various aspects of racial tensions, such as mutual hardship, unity, justice and the continual decline of the African-American social situation. This is so common that African-Americans feel the need to stick together in the face of racism: “Yo, come on we gotta stick together” (The Game, 2012-2015, line 19). This is also largely portrayed in “I’m Black and I’m Proud”, whose lyrics read: “I say we won 't quit moving Til we get what we deserve” (Brown, 1968, line 6-7). The same emotions that existed nearly 50 years ago are also felt in the present. This exemplifies how America has not been steadily progressing. Grievously, America followed the same paths months later; the same frantic and chaotic riots in Ferguson occurred in Baltimore, causing the nation to propose a tedious question: What can we do? Similarly to the song “Don’t Shoot” (The Game, 2012-2015), the article paints a picture for the readers pertaining to the events occurring in Baltimore. After the Baltimore riots that began as peaceful protests, seen nationwide on every