Rapper Big K.R.I.T. delivered a powerful spoken word performance about police brutality and the recent spate of shootings of unarmed black men at the BET Hip-Hop Awards on Tuesday night.
Dressed as a police officer, the rapper delivered a minute-long performance that grew more and more impassioned as it unfolded.
“Mommas been crying, and they gon’ keep crying,” K.R.I.T. rapped. “Black folk been dying and they gon’ keep dying/The police been firing and they gon’ keep firing/The government been lying and they gon’ keep lying.”
Midway through the performance, K.R.I.T. shifted perspective to that of a police officer in a black neighborhood, enumerating a number of misdeeds committed by officers who use excessive force, before finally circling back to K.R.I.T.’s own point of view for the conclusion: “Another life gone/I can’t forgive it.”
The performance was met by both loud cheers from the audience and from viewers watching the performance on TV.
Filmed last month and aired on Tuesday opposite the vice presidential debate, the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards were hosted by DJ Khalid and featured performances by Desiigner, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, T.I. and Gucci Mane.
See some of the Twitter reactions to K.R.I.T.’s performance below:
https://twitter.com/Papizayyyy/status/783468206367215616
.@BIGKRIT wasn't playing no games! #HipHopAwards @BET @HipHopAwards pic.twitter.com/IPbOlgeGv2
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) October 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/HardysCloset/status/783472396376367106
Do you know how many black fist at home just went into the air!? ? #HipHopAwards pic.twitter.com/DkrPQxurBg
— Educated Savage ? (@SaWdAKiNg) October 5, 2016
All the black pride at the #hiphopawards is lit. pic.twitter.com/ZuLTQwt63L
— Sean. (@IconicDarkskin) October 5, 2016