PORTLAND, Ore — "As a rich black man living in this country, it's hard being comfy
When the hate your people get is coming from the ones amongst me."
Those are the first lines of Damian Lillard's new single, Blacklist. The lyrics come straight from the heart of the Portland Trail Blazers star, as he combats racism, police brutality, and his own privilege as a "rich black man."
Dame D.O.L.L.A. - Lillard's rap name - posted the new song to his Soundcloud on Tuesday morning. He tweeted it out with the caption, "Let me vent..."
The new song comes just a few days after the point guard joined a march to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of a Minneapolis police officer.
"We in a pandemic, thought getting out I'd be more joy,
Then I watched a cop knee to the neck and kill George Floyd."
Lillard inspires everyone listening to take action, and not sit by while racism continues. The emotion and pain can be heard through the entire three minutes of the song.
"As a brother with a good heart, I say 'F-- you' if you racist
Or you white playing quiet, you disabling the changes
F-- being famous, tired of watching us complaining
Cops kill a brother, get released after arraignment."
The rap serves as a call to action, as Lillard rhymes about allthe tension in the world right now, and what we can all do to influence change.
"Support black businesses, got to fight evil
We love ourselves, we don't hate white people
We just striving for equality, acknowledge me!
Don't just kill me for chilling when in my property"
