2020 Riots: How Many Times

Album: Back Home (2020)
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Songfacts®:

  • Trey Songz wrote this fiery protest anthem as a way of channeling his righteous anger about police brutality and institutionalized racism. The R&B star explained that the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white policeman and the ensuing protests across the country hit him hard. He was lying awake in bed one night with a pounding chest, so he got up and called his producer, Troy Taylor, saying, "We've got to make music that really touches the soul, that really addresses what the world is feeling right now. Especially our people."

    This was the track they came up with. "With the words in this song I just wanted to speak to everyone's hearts and acknowledge the pain and anguish everyone is going through right now," he said. "I know this ain't usually my message and you're not used to hearing this from me, but this is the person I've always been."
  • A portion of the proceeds from the release of "2020 Riots" will directly benefit both Black Lives Matter and the Community Justice Exchange's National Bail Fund Network.

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