Hear Kenneth Whalum and Big K.R.I.T.'s New Song 'Might Not Be Ok'

Kenneth Whalum and Big K.R.I.T. have just come through with "Might Not Be Ok," a haunting new track that deals with the perpetual mourning that comes from the sort of police violence that they and many others believe to be unjust. Above you can hear the touching new single for yourself.

Featuring mournful piano and ghostly humming, "Might Not Be Ok" comes on the heels of yet another police shooting that many are already saying was unjustified. This time, it was 13-year-old Tyre King, who Columbus authorities say pointed a BB gun that looked just like a police pistol directly at one of their officers. We have no way of knowing when exactly Whalum and Big K.R.I.T. recorded their newest track, but given the timing of its release, it's obvious that it will resonate with listeners.

On the track, Whalum and K.R.I.T. seemingly imply that Black Americans should resign themselves to the possibility of being affected by police brutality. The two artists don't mince words. First up is Whalum, who sounds almost as if he's making an apology. "I won't tell you that it's gon' be ok/And I can't see the sun through all the darkened rays," he sings. "I don't claim to have the answer, it's more than some can say/I won't tell you that it's gon' be ok/It might not be ok."

If Whalum's verse sounds like a regretful resignation to the end, K.R.I.T. sounds like frustration personified, with a verse that's as chilling as it is aggressive. "Mommas been cryin' and they gon' keep cryin'/Black folk been dyin' and they gon' keep dyin'," K.R.I.T. raps, as if shooting down the possibility that things could be any other way. "Police been firin' and they gon' keep firin'/The government been lyin' and they gon' keep lyin'."

K.R.I.T. announced that he was no longer on Def Jam a couple months back, so hopefully this means we're getting a new project from him soon.

"Might Not Be Ok" is a powerful song that definitely serves as a snapshot of our current racial/political climate, and you can probably expect to hear more songs in that vein in Whalum's future projects.

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