In the wake of the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Jay-Z released “Spiritual,” a new track currently streaming on Tidal, including his voice among those of other celebrities offering support.

In a statement released on Tidal, the hip-hop mogul charted a backstory for the song, expressing that he was urged by Punch from Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) to drop the track after the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in 2014, but detracted after thinking that “his death wouldn’t be the last.”

“I’m saddened and disappointed in THIS America – we should be further along,” Jay-Z continued. “I trust God and know everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man….it’s tough right now.”

“Spiritual,” Jay-Z’s first solo track since Magna Carta… Holy Grail in 2013, is a riff that accents the chorus “Just a boy from the hood/Got my hands in the air/in despair/don’t shoot/I just wanna do good” with the incantatory “I am not poison/No, I am not poison” which serve as a catalogue of phrases that continue to haunt the nation.

The statement ends with an observation from Frederick Douglass that highlights the consequences of oppression.

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”

Here’s “Spiritual” here.

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via HipHopNMore

If you haven’t heard by now, TDE’s Punch is pretty nice on the mic. “Fear” features Punch’s seasoned flows and unique perception over smooth production that will take you back to a time when things were much simpler. Check it out below.

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We just posted about Kendrick Lamar’s latest collaboration with TDE President Punch, when news of his upcoming partnership with Reebok came to our attention. The Compton-bred rapper is following in the footsteps of many rappers before him and finally coming out with major sneaker brand collaboration.

A new voice. A new collaboration. Let’s go, @kendricklamar. #thisISkendrick #thisISclassic pic.twitter.com/BYJSaynQbm

— Reebok Classic (@ReebokClassics) December 10, 2014

According to reports, Lamar will be featured in an upcoming ad campaign following the rapper around his hometown of Compton. His capsule collection will be launched in June 2015, containing limited editions of the brand’s classic Ventilator style—which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Watch the latest ad below:

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TDE’s CEO, Punch, is back at it. The businessman has been venturing into rapping and has so far released 5 tracks under his soundcloud account. The 5th track, “My Darling Nicki,” features Punch rapping over a light beat about his ‘ride or die’ chick.

It seems as if Punch may be gearing up to release his own album but in the meantime we can enjoy the tracks he has been putting out. Check out “My Darling Nicki” below and let us know what you think!

The post New Music: TDE’s CEO, Punch – “My Darling Nicki (interlude)” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Punch of TDE recently dropped two new tracks. “Prelude,” which mirrors its title,  works as a great opening. The MC raps about politics and social justice, two topics that will strongly weave his tracks together as part of a much bigger whole. “1965” is a slower paced track about the disastrous political environment from the ’60s. It serves as a real flashback. Surprisingly, “1965” is much more of a prelude than “Prelude.” The track is mostly composed of samples over an original beat. Check it out.

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Whenever a label President sparks a side rap career, we’re rightfully hesitant of the results. Often times, it’s a vanity project to fulfuill a lifelong dream of becoming a rapper. Other times, however, the President can rap just as well as his signeees. TDE’s Punch seems to fall in the latter category. Releasing a song with Jay Rock and BJ The Chicago Kid, Punch delivers raw, in-pocket verses over a beat that sounds like it was plucked straight out of the nineties. Punch promised a ton of TDE releases this year, and he might be behind one of them. His Soundcloud page is tagged with “My Project Window.” Could a release be forthcoming? We’ll find out. Check out “A Project Mind” below.

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