The end of this May has been tragic and explosive. Icewear Vezzo’s “No More Pain” might further illustrate the issues at hand. From the murder of George Floyd to the loss of a 19-year-old during a protest due to a drive-by shooting in Detroit, everyone is uneasy.
While we need compelling voices and genuine expression in this time of chaos, instead we have an untraceable mess. Fires burn in cities across the nation, many of which were set by suburban whites that don’t live there. A lot of destruction has been made by the police themselves or undercover operatives.
Instead of giving the mic to some out-of-towner or armchair philosopher, get out of college and into the streets. Icewear Vezzo’s track doesn’t need an explanation, it needs attention. As the man says, “Same shit different day, just another struggle/ They won’t give us education so we gotta hustle.”
Icewear Vezzo
The opening of “No More Pain” features an exasperated woman calling out “I’m tired of this. I’m not scared to die. If I got to die behind my color, I’m going to die about it. My kids after me. They gone walk these streets free just like everybody else can walk these streets free. I’m not standing out. I’m black and I’m proud, and I’m strong.”
The video covers the Detroit protest, and obviously white people were involved. I attended myself and contributed my body and voice to the cause, but the best I can do right now is amplify the voices within the community who are actually progressing the conversation. The Floyd family and families of victims get the first say.
After that, cultural figures like Icewear Vezzo or Freddie Gibbs should be promoted. “No More Pain” says enough without some degree of explaining it. Fuck virtue signaling, just listen to your community and contribute as best you can. Please do not drive to Detroit to cause havoc if you do not live here. This isn’t aesthetic or fun. No profile pictures. Listen. See what you can do, and don’t just assume you know what that is without asking.
Icewear Vezzo – No More Pain (Official Music Video)
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