6lack has shared the video for his new song "ATL Freestyle," but he also took a moment to address his fans in an emotional note following the murder of George Floyd.
The Atlanta crooner and rapper's "ATL Freestyle" sees him in a pensive mood, reflecting on what family and his origins mean to him. Following him as he makes his way back home, the intimate video offers a peek into his life. He also addressed that this is a weird time for him to be releasing music, with the outrage of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd's deaths fresh in the minds of many.
"With the amount of pain and anger I feel in my heart, releasing a new song at this very moment doesn't feel like a great priority," he wrote in his note to fans. "Nothing ever prepares you for how to feel when you're constantly faced with the last dying breaths of black people, my people, on your television or phone screens every single day. To be black in America is to be aware that I'm valued less by some of the people in this country."
While music is important to him, he stressed to his fans that "the respect of my people comes first." He revealed that he had planned the release of "ATL Freestyle" for a while, and with it ready to go he wanted to make sure he used his platform to raise awareness to what is happening in this country. "George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor, and the many other names to be silenced, due to abuse of power and racism, have not died in vain," he continued.
"I can't listen to anyone telling the people in pain, how to cope. We are fed-up and rightfully so," he wrote. "We've marched, kneeled, and petitioned. We're sick of the hashtags. I know a great amount of us feel helpless and confused about what to do, but all we can do is lend help to others in need right now. Show up for each other."
Watch the video for "ATL Freestyle" above.
