Nas and Usher have collaborated on a track aimed at addressing police brutality against people of color. The song, titled “Chains,” comes with an interactive video released via TIDAL that uses facial recognition technology in order to play. Viewers must look at the screen continuously as the faces of victims, like Trayvon Martin and Rekia Boyd, appear on the screen or the video will stop playing.
[ALSO READ: Nas To Receive W.E.B DuBois Medal From Harvard University]
“In writing this song, I was motivated by the events involving prejudicial injustice that are still happening today,” Usher said in a statement. “The reality is that racial bigotry diminishes the lives of too many people in our country. We have to come together as a country to solve these problems and this is one way I can contribute.”
It's time to break the chains of racial injustice. #CHAINS #DontLookAway
http://t.co/V4sjKmLF0Y pic.twitter.com/KwPF7wiZH7
— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) October 16, 2015
The “I Don’t Mind” singer also explained the concept behind using the “Don’t Look Away” theme.
“I chose to introduce the song through the ‘Don’t Look Away’ experience because it is important not only to feel the issue but to face it. The pain and suffering that these victims and their families have endured is something we must never forget. When we look away from this problem it gets worse. To fix it, we have to face it.”
Watch the video on TIDAL.