I Can’t Breathe by H.E.R (2020)

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I Can't Breathe Cover

I Can’t Breathe is an R&B song by H.E.R released on June 19, 2020. The song written by H.E.R, D'Mile and Tiara Thomas and produced by D'Mile, reached #20 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs. I Can’t Breathe received a nomination for Song of the Year at the At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards marks the singer’s second song to be nominated after "Hard Place" (2020). [1]

H.E.R

Black Empowerment

The phrase, I can’t breathe has become everyone’s tag line during the movement for Black lives. Referred to the last words of Eric Garner and George Floyd, and 70 other people in their final moments before turning themselves to the police, according to The New York Times. H.E.R asked that we are at the point where a plea for mercy has been met with inhuman justice time after time.

She described her 2020’s single as being "very painful and very revealing," during an iHeartRadio performance in June. The topic it addresses for the lack of empathy from cops who killed unarmed black people and those who defend them, yet criticize protesters.

As in the song, corps are "desensitized to pulling triggers on innocent lives / Because that's how we got here in the first place," mentioning America’s history of oppression as the root of the violence. [2]

H.E.R also notes how people tend to forget enrooted racism and social injustice in American history. The phrase I can’t breathe has been chanted amongst protesters to show solidarity for the black community. [3]

Part of Lyrics from H.E.R's I Can't Breathe, showing the empathy and support of mass during the movement of Black Lives:

[Verse 1] Starting a war, screaming "Peace" at the same time

All the corruption, injustice, the same crimes

Always a problem if we do or don't fight

And we die, we don't have the same right

What is a gun to a man that surrenders?

What's it gonna take for someone to defend her?

If we all agree that we're equal as people

Then why can't we see what is evil?

[Chorus] I can't breathe

You're taking my life from me

I can't breathe

Will anyone fight for me? [4]

References