I don’t think every artist has a responsibility to be an activist.
I think if you know better do better though.
It doesn’t have to damage your pockets to stand for something.
I do think that art is the best medium for social issues.
I think it’s like the strongest, the quickest way to the heart though.
And that’s what it takes to move forward as a people.
It takes a connection to the heart.
♪ He never had a chance and we all know it’s ‘cause he black.
Shot him 16 times, how f*ucked up is that? ♪
You know, being from Chicago, I have a very personal attachment to gun violence.
I know what it’s like to lose people very close to you senselessly.
What people don’t really seem to understand - and I try to tell them in music - is that
you could be on both sides of the gun, you know.
And right and wrong are subjective.
Those are ideas, you know.
What’s real is that in our communities the people being killed and doing the killing
are one and the same.
The only thing they don’t have in common is the gun.
So clearly, we need to look at the gun.
That makes sense to me, but America is a power structure and it’s capitalism.
And when everything’s for sale including children’s lives.
Then, it kind of complicates things.
The March for Our Lives - that was legendary, iconic.
That was one of the most special experiences of my life.
♪ Faith alone can’t make things right.
Politicians send thoughts and prayers, but thoughts and prayers can’t save our lives.
Fools, saying "all lives matter," But these kids lives they refuse to include.
Blocked from the polls.
Locked in the hood.
When the cops keep blowing and blood keeps flowing, And Congress keeps on doing...Nothing. ♪
Being at the March for Our Lives was so inspiring to me because I’m seeing these, you know,
16, 17-year-old young men and women - I won’t even call them kids no more because they had
that striped from them.
Like you ain’t got that no more, you’re not a kid… you just…
Head in this f*cking closet while your best friend bled to death next to you.
You ain’t a kid no more.
And it’s not fair, right.
I mean, the world ain’t fair and the world ain’t right, but it’s also just not necessary.
We’re being used.
And so, I was very inspired to see their courage.
My city is clearly in a dire state of need.
It’s not so much that I had a plan to be like a philanthropist or something like that,
but I was built that way.
And so, with more resources comes more opportunity.
And I believe that, especially in today’s world, it’s important that we show radical
love, you know, and that we don’t subscribe to reactionary hate.
And we do something about it.
That’s important to me to be somebody that is an ally to people in need.
You know, I like it when I do music and someone feels empowered by that.
Or I do something that’s not music, and someone feels empowered by that.
And they feel like they got me on their side, because they do.
Cause that’s just how I am.
Somebody told me the other day - 19 year-old, young, flamboyant gay man - and said he’s
been listening to my music since he was a kid when I was in a band and that like I made
him feel like it was okay to be him.
I thought that was so fresh, you know.
Cause I’m like, “It’s more than okay to be you.
The problem is that you even got to… somebody has to make you feel like it’s okay to be you.
It’s perfect to be you.
That’s who you should be all you can be.
And all of the devils from every side are trying to confuse you and make you feel like
you can’t be you.”
So, I want that gay kid to feel like he can be him.
I want a Palestinian kid to feel like they can be them and they can speak on the plight
of their people.
And that they got me in their corner.