The Game, along with many other artists featured on the track such as Rick Ross, Diddy, and 2 Chainz released the song in reaction to the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri back in August of 2014. At this point in the media police brutality and gun voice were the topics of many discussions. The song directly relates its lyrics to these issues. The Game banded together a multitude of artist on this song as a musical protest for this movement.
In an interview about the collaborative protest the Game continued, “The issues in Ferguson really hit home for me, and I feel compelled to use my musical platform to address this,” the Game tells Rolling Stone. “I am a black man with kids of my own that I love more than anything, and I cannot fathom a horrific tragedy like Michael Brown’s happening to them. This possibility has shaken me to my core. That is why this song must be made and why it was so easy for so many of my friends to come together and unite against the injustice.” He continues “I managed to get everyone on board fairly easy, simply because we have the hearts. We care and are inclined to take a positive approach to resolving an issue that has existed since the beginning of mankind and that is racism and hatred towards one another as human beings.”
A direct integration of the influence of the Michael Brown shooting within the lyrics in a verse by Diddy:
“Seen the pictures, feel the pain, scandalous how they murder son
Tired of them killing us, I’m on my way to Ferguson
Talked to TIP, I talked to Diddy, them my brothers walking with me
Mothers crying”
When I reflected on the nightly news segments, articles, protests, and pictures after the incident. There were pictures of mothers crying, family and friends that knew Michael Brown. Even if there person watching did not know Michael Brown personally, if felt like you did because everyone is a sister, brother, friend neighbor. The empathy with the Brown family, and the people of Ferguson swept the nation, that same feeling is definitely recreated in this song
Link to Rolling Stones interview:
Hear the Game, Rick Ross, Diddy and More Join Forces for Ferguson on ‘Don’t Shoot’
Picture Citation:
March 7, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Maggie, This is a good start to the context that lead The Game to write the song and organize such a large group of concerned artists to contribute their voices (and, I suspect, their lyrics, as well). I do, however, think you missed an opportunity to discuss the statistics of how many black men and men of color have been killed by police in the last several decades, as that knowledge is important for understanding the anger that fuels the song (and the community) and very much structures the lives of people. Please look in to that as you are preparing for your podcast.
B