We talk a lot about life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. We talk a lot about free speech. The right to bear arms. The right to religious freedom. But have you ever had to wonder whether your right to survive will be threatened today? Your right to breathe?
It’s news to no one reading this that America has a racism problem. We are so beyond having poisoned the well in this country. Not only has racism infiltrated every facet of modern, industrialized life — jobs, education, housing — but it has a literal stranglehold on life itself. Not in the existential meaning of “life,” but in the biological process of breathing, remaining alive. On the heels of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police, which came on the heels of the homicide of Daniel Prude — a Black, Rochester man who in March died in police custody after having a hood placed on his head and face pushed into asphalt by police — this country is facing the fate it sealed for itself when the genocide of indigenous peoples and the enslavement of others was made the business model.
To meet this moment, many of our beloved musicians (who are already grappling with economic strife brought on by the pandemic) are doing what they do best: recording moments like these through song, lending voice to centuries of grief and anger. Saxophonist and producer Khris Royal, whose musical CV includes work with everyone from Ellis Marsalis to Rebelution, is among those who are composing an American Songbook for the day.
“New Orleans bands are known for making party music and nothing is wrong with that,” Khris tells me. “Dark Matter is a party band. But I also believe that art for art’s sake is deodorized dog shit. We as artists have a responsibility to reflect the times and to use our voices to bring about the change we want to see in the world.”
Together with Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (lyrics, trumpet), Nigel Hall (vocals), “Big Sam” Williams (trombone), John Michael Bradford (trumpet), Danny Abel (guitar) and Alvin Ford, Jr. (drums), Khris Royal (production, keyboards, bass, sax, talkbox) has released “I Can’t Breathe.”
Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown. Photo by Rachel June.
The lyrics were written by Brown, who spoke with me earlier this year. “It’s a really delicate time to make relevant, purposeful content right now. I feel that artists are the high priests of the global community. Artists have the highest responsibility and obligation to the community, because we control the culture.”
The song speaks for itself:
My blood’s in the streets
I will not rest in peace
I wish my story was the past
But they shoot first, ask questions last
Same old story, ain’t nothing new
I’ve been killed by the boys in blue
Police brutality
Evil racists behind a badge
Plain to see
They’re bad apples on a poisoned tree
I got more life to live
I got more love to give
Because I’m Black
You wanna kill me
I…
Have both my hands up
Won’t see no judge
Can’t
Tell you my name ’cause I can’t
Tell my story from the grave cause I can’t
Breathe
Somebody help me please
Khris Royal says the song came to him back in May, when video of George Floyd’s murder came across his Facebook timeline. “The first thing I felt was anger,” he says. “I wanted to go find the officer who knelt on this man’s neck for eight minutes and do the same thing to him. I remember feeling like the cop was taunting us for taking a knee during the national anthem. I was so angry, I wanted to cry. So I did what I always do when I get emotional. I went to the keyboard and started playing.”
He recorded the seedling of a song as a voice memo in his phone and forgot about it for a weeks. By the time the end of June rolled around, he was looking for inspiration when he stumbled on the snippet. It turned into a demo, which he then sent to Brown. Two hours later and the lyrics for an entire song had been penned. When thinking about who should lend a voice to Brown’s lyrics, Hall was the first choice.
Proceeds from the sale of the single will be donated to the fight for justice against police brutality. Those interested in lending support can make a donation directly to the ACLU at this link. For more information about Khris Royal, click here.
