From Sam Cooke, to Kendrick Lamar, since time immemorial, music has embodied hope and inspiration for social change. Serving almost as cultural snapshots of distinct places and distinct turning points in our lives; songs can be a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come, or echo how much farther we have to go. On May 25th 2020, George Floyd’s death by police brutality triggered one of the largest sustained protest periods in modern history. Artists and activists spearheaded this movement using what they know best, their voice. So what does Black Lives Matter sound like in 2020? To dig deeper into this developing conversation and soundscape, I spoke with Shad (hip hop artist and host of Hip Hop Evolution), Haviah Mighty (rapper and Polaris Prize winning artist), Owen O’Sound Lee (artist, producer, musical director) and Sandy Hudson of Black Lives Matter Toronto (co-founder).
