Black Lives Matter has been given new motifs

Protest music has long been a part of African Americans' struggle for justice. In the sixties, people listened to Aretha Franklin's Respect and Dancing in the streets as protest music. In 2016, Kendrick Lamar's song Alright became something of a soundtrack to the Black Lives Matter movement.

And now the new protest music is here, commenting on his time. Anderson Paak, Lil Baby, YG, the hip-hop collective End of daze and, not least, Beyoncé have all released new music directly inspired by the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests

-There is a worn quote from Chuck D from Public Enemy that hip-hop is black America's CNN. I would say it is even more so today than it was 25 years ago, ”says Nathan Hamelberg.

He believes that the new BLM music is to be regarded as a motive for the protests, all with their own perspectives on what is happening and what they think you should do. From the uncompromising YG with his song Fuck the Police to the self-seeking and reconciling Lil Baby with the song The Bigger Picture.

In parallel with the debate about police violence against blacks, there is also a debate about the violence from certain protesters: buildings and cars have been burned, shops have been looted and private individuals and police have been injured. The question is whether songs such as YG's Fuck the police can be considered to stir up protesters into violence and rather help rather than aid the BLM movement.

- There is some kind of macho attitude in what may not be what you want now. But music has always been about imagination, says Nathan Hamelberg.

But moralizing around controversial songs is not the way to go, says Nathan Hamelberg.

- It will be a bit like when Siewert Öholm wanted to ban the hard rock.

The question is whether the music makes any real difference. Nathan Hamelberg does not believe that music in itself can change the political climate or solve structural racism.

- But music can inspire forces that can change, says Nathan Hamelberg.