Rapper T.I. has tackled police brutality in a clip for his new politically-charged music video “Warzone”.
The rapper uses white actors to recreate the deaths of African-American men Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and Philando Castile, all of whom died at the hands of law enforcement officers, reports people.com.
The clip ends with the quote: “The new racism is to deny that racism exists.”
In the 30-second clip of the song, chants of “hands up” and “can’t breathe” are heard, a clear reference to the 2014 death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old who was placed in a chokehold by New York City police that led to his death.
T.I. released a brief look at the “Warzone” music video on his Instagram account last week.
The clip of the music video was released on TIDAL, Jay Z’s music streaming service, on September 8. It will premiere on YouTube, Vevo and eight other websites on Friday, according to NBC News.
“The first thing that (director Laureal Richardson and I) wanted to do was make sure that it was powerful enough to create the type of dialogue necessary to inspire some form of change,” the rapper said.
“We just kind of tossed it around and we came up with re-enacting the events and then he came up with the idea of the role reversals.”
The rapper said modern prejudice is more subtle today compared to years ago.
“White supremacy (used to be) in the forefront of America’s sights and thoughts. You knew where you stood, what position you held in this country, good bad or indifferent,” he said.
“Now, it is covertly done … through the judicial system, the financial system, the educational system and some may even say through medicine.”
