Prince releases a protest song in response to the recent unrest in Baltimore prior to his Rally 4 Peace concert in the city.
On May 9, the iconic singer shared the rock-funk song, “Baltimore,” via his personal SoundCloud page. With lyrics such as “Are we gonna see another bloody day? / We’re tired of cryin’ and people dyin’ / Let’s all take the guns away,” the 56-year-old is sure to get the people on their feet with their hands up!
According to Billboard, Prince recorded “Baltimore” earlier this month at his Paisley Park studio in Minnesota. Earlier this week, the singer announced plans to perform a Rally 4 Peace concert at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore on Mother’s Day. Joined by funk-rock group and frequent collaborators 3RDEYEGIRL, a portion of the concert’s proceeds will benefit Baltimore-based youth charities. Audio from the show will also stream live on the music streaming service Tidal.
“I am honored 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, who owns the majority of parent company Aspiro, said in a statement released by Tidal.
“We invite all to experience the music and contribute in their own way to promote peace, tolerance and understanding,” he said. “Our prayers go out to Freddie Gray’s family and every family affected by brutality and senseless violence.”
“As a symbolic message of shared humanity and love for one another, concertgoers are invited to wear something gray to the family-friendly Mother’s Day event,” said Tidal in a statement.
Check out Prince’s tribute to Baltimore below.
