Prince has unveiled a new song inspired by the recent protests in Baltimore.
Titled “Baltimore,” the song was written to honor the late Freddie Gray, who sadly died while in Baltimore Police Department custody. His death, and the many unanswered questions it posed, sparked protests and mass anger throughout the entire city.
In an attempt to help the city heal and move forward as they continue to seek justice for Freddie Gray, Prince will perform the song tomorrow afternoon at a special benefit concert called ‘Rally 4 Peace.’ However, before hitting the stage Prince registered a brand new Twitter account to share a link to the new song.
BALTIMORE https://t.co/S90uMPKG61 #PRINCE #3RDEYEGIRL #PEACE
— Prince (@prince) May 9, 2015
https://soundcloud.com/prince3eg/baltimore
The song is a protest song through and through, with lyrics like: “Nobody got in nobody’s way / so I guess you could say it was a good day / at least a little better than the day in Baltimore. / Does anybody hear us pray / for Michael Brown or Freddie Gray? / Peace is more than the absence of war.” However, organizers also hope the ‘Rally 4 Peace’ concert will serve as an opportunity for the city to “pause and reflect” on the recent protests, which later gave way to violence following Gray’s death.
At the concert Prince will be joined by his usual backing trio 3RDEYEGIRL as well as a list of special guests rumored to include R&B superstar Miguel and British vocal sensation Estelle.
Tickets for the event range from $20-$500, with a portion concert’s proceeds going to youth charities based in Baltimore. Attendees have also been asked to wear gray in honor of Freddie Gray.
Gray was arrested without any probable cause in Baltimore on April 12, 2015. He is believed to have sustained minor injuries during the arrest before sustaining further, fatal, injuries while being held in police custody. Baltimore City’s Attorney General Marilyn Mosby said Gray’s death was a direct result of officers leaving Gray unsecured in the back of a police van with his hands cuffed and his legs shackled.
All six police officers involved in Gray’s arrest will now face charges for his death, a city prosecutor told press earlier this month.
