#MentalHealthAwareness. There’s a lot going on within our community and most express our views through posts but we also express our feelings through song. A couple of days ago, Cyrano Sintara and I released a new track entitled “blue lights”. “blue lights” sums what we go through in life especially being black and dealing with the police. You know, the ones that “Protect and Serve” (insert your feelings elsewhere) and just listen. This is the first of many we’re going to release so get ready.

Here’s what Cyrano has to say about “blue lights”.

Blue lights in the rearview mirror…

During this month of #MentalHealthAwareness I hope this song will provide a narrative of our story.

I’ve been stopped by police since I first learned to drive at 16 yrs of age, and the feeling never changes…a mild panic in the back of my mind saying “what if he/she isn’t one of the ‘good ones’, how is this going to end?”

Life is full of uncertainty, but getting stopped by police as a Black man has always been intimidating because the end is uncertain. I know my rights when stopped and I follow the law, as have many young men who are dead or in jail right now. This is fact.

We are presumed guilty without any evidence, except the irrational fear of those who are supposed to “PROTECT and SERVE.”

Many who look like me are shot holding no weapons, shot while legally carrying a weapon, shot sleeping in our vehicles, shot with our hands up, shot in the back running and shot while laying on the ground.

Many battle with PTSD riding down any street where those blue lights are. Many have become numbed to it, which is even more mentally damaging. The bodycams and dashcams don’t help preserve life, they only offer a real glimpse into the irrational fears of profiling and racial stereotyping. The hashtags and settlements out of court offering money to absolve murder.

We have to tell our story.
The story of knowing where your license and registration is, and still knowing you could die reaching for it.
The story of being a legal gun owner who goes out for a ride with his family, who ends up dead.
The story of how we inform everyone in the car to behave, believing that any move seen as dangerous could end our lives and the lives of those we care about.
The story of a headlight/taillight being out that leads to another killing of an innocent person. The story of being a fearful parent watching your son head out the door, not knowing if a policeman could end up killing them before you see them again.

The true life story of how we feel when we see those blue lights in the rearview mirror…

Check out the single after the break. You can also check out the track here, here and here.