Jay Z’s streaming music and entertainment platform, TIDAL, has partnered with Harry Belafonte’s social justice organization, Sankofa.org, to raise awareness about police brutality.
On February 17, TIDAL announced the release of a new visual EP entitled, “17,” which follows a 17-year-old black male (see teaser clip above) and his experience with racial bias and police violence.
Featuring music by Ty Dolla $ign, Raphael Saadiq, Mali Music and Elijah Blake, the project’s depiction was inspired by the victims of racial bias and instances of lethal police violence, including the death of late 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot by then-Florida neighborhood watch coordinator, George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012. Five years since his untimely death, last month Martin’s parents commemorated their son’s life with the release of
Five years since his untimely death, Martin’s parents commemorated their son’s life with the release of book entitled, Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.
Connecting artists to social-political issues through projects such as “17” is among Sankofa.org’s biggest initiatives, according to Sankofa.org co-executive director Gina Belafonte.
“As a first of its kind ‘social justice impact entertainment enterprise’ our mission at Sankofa.org is to connect artists, entertainers with the activists, organizations, and communities most directly impacted by issues like racial bias, systemic violence, mass incarceration, economic, social and political disenfranchisement in an effort to drive social and policy change,” Belafonte said in a press release for the project.
“This Visual EP is one of the many projects Sankofa.org has produced (and will be rolling out more of) that has inspired artists to use their massive cultural influence and followings to shine a light on issues of political and moral urgency,” she added.
In addition to the release of “17,” TIDAL and Sankofa.org launched the #IAM17 social media campaign in an effort to encourage people to share personal stories about their life experiences at age 17.
Check out a teaser to “17” in the clip above, and watch the clip in its entirety here.
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