J. Cole Marches With Protestors In NYC
Yesterday (Dec. 3), a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict white NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in the July killing of Eric Garner, a black man and father of six. Holder was unarmed at the time of his death, which was caught on video and, in August, ruled a homicide by the medical examiner's office.
The announcement that an indictment was not forthcoming sparked protests in New York and around the country; its impact was also measurable online. J. Cole's "Be Free," originally released in mid-August, bolted to #2 on Billboard's Trending 140 chart. "Be Free" was dedicated to Michael Brown, the Missouri teen whose death at the hand of a white police officer also resulted in a non-indictment earlier this week.
Cole's new album 2014 Forest Hill Drive is out Dec. 9. Yesterday, the album leaked and fans got to hear the North Carolina native's controversial track entitled “Fire Squad” where he addresses and accuses white artists (particularly those in hip-hop and r&b) of robbing black culture such as Iggy Azalea, Macklemore, Eminem and Justin Timberlake.
Related: J. Cole's Album '2014 Forest Hills Drive' Leaks
J. Cole Visits Ferguson And Shows Support For Michael Brown
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