On Friday night (June 19), Beyoncé dropped a surprise track titled ‘‘BLACK PARADE.’’
The 38-year-old songstress released the track on Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. She also explained that her latest offering will support black-owned small businesses.
“Happy Juneteenth Weekend! I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power. ‘BLACK PARADE’ celebrates you, your voice and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses,” she wrote.
Beyoncé’s surprise track came a few days after she penned a letter to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot inside her home three months ago. Since then, “Breonna’s Law” has been passed, which bans no-knock search warrants.
“Don’t let this case fall into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy. With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police, there are two real tragedies: the death itself, and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers,” Beyonce wrote at the time.
Days after Bey’s letter, ex-officer Brett Hankison was arrested for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Taylor. In the termination letter, Police Chief Robert Schroeder stated that the former cop violated several regulations.
“You also violated Standard Operating Procedure (9.1.12) Use Of Deadly Force when you used deadly force by blindly firing ten (10) rounds into Breonna Taylor’s apartment without supporting facts that your deadly force was directed at a person against whom posed an immediate threat of danger or serious injury to yourself or others,” the letter read.
Take a listen to Beyoncé’s latest track below.