Listen To Prince’s New Protest Song About The Baltimore Riots

Prince first performed this song just four days after Baltimore broke out in violent protest following the funeral of Freddie Gray. The legendary musician and Black Lives Matter activist announced the track from a makeshift stage at peaceful protest in a Minneapolis park. Now, just a week later, he’s released the full thing via a newly created Soundcloud account.

Simply titled ‘Baltimore’, the song mixes soul and funk while referencing the ongoing racial tensions in the US, in particular the deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray who died in police custody.

“Please know that all involved in this project never take for granted the privileges we have in this country,” the artist said in an accompanying statement. “Let’s all continue to fight the good fight and confront inhumanity on every level until the day it is no longer.”

Prince shared the news via a newly-created Twitter account overnight, ahead of the special 60-minute concert he’s holding tomorrow in Baltimore. Raising funds for Baltimore youth charities, the Rally4Peace concert will see Prince joined by “several industry superstars” and, in an uncharacteristically welcome turn of events, you can listen to the whole thing via a free livestream on Tidal.

“I am honoured to join Prince in his mission to inspire through the uniting power of music and be able to offer a platform where this moment can be shared globally,” Jay Z said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We invite all to experience the music and contribute in their own way to promote peace, tolerance and understanding. Our prayers go out to Freddie Gray’s family and every family affected by brutality and senseless violence.”

For a better look at the song itself, Prince has also helpfully transcribed the lyrics in standard Prince-speak:

NOBODY GOT IN NOBODY’S WAY
SO EYE GUESS U COULD SAY
IT WAS A GOOD DAY
AT LEAST A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE DAY IN BALTIMORE

DOES ANYBODY HEAR US PRAY?
4 MICHAEL BROWN OR FREDDIE GRAY PEACE IS MORE THAN THE ABSENCE OF WAR
ABSENCE OF WAR

R WE GONNA C ANOTHER BLOODY DAY?
WE’RE TIRED OF CRYIN’ & PEOPLE DYIN’
LET’S TAKE ALL THE GUNS AWAY

ABSENCE OF WAR- U AND ME
MAYBE WE CAN FINALLY SAY
ENUFF IS ENUFF IT’S TIME 4 LOVE

IT’S TIME 2 HEAR,
IT’S TIME 2 HEAR

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If you’d like to donate towards this cause, Prince and Tidal are directing people towards the Baltimore Justice Fund: an organisation which works to improve police accountability, repair relationships between police and the community, and provides advocacy to young people.