To the artist that inspired the ones that succeeded him,
I wish you were alive. I wish you were alive so you could see the change your art left behind. I wish you were alive so you could see all the artists you inspired to speak up and sing what they can't scream because their voices were shut, just like you did. I wish you were alive so you would see your name on the titles of the news for speaking up for you and the ones that can't do it for themselves one more time. I wish you were alive so you could keep expressing your unconformity through your music that was enjoyed by many, especially those who listened to every lyric of every song, those who you left an impact on. I wish you were alive so you could feel proud of your legacy.
If you were alive you would see how many people you have inspired. If you were alive your songs would reach many more. If you were alive there would be stadiums filled with people screaming your name. If you were alive you would still be able to enjoy making music and we would enjoy listening to it. If you were alive people that look up to you could tell you how much you helped them. If you were alive, many of the ones you represented would thank you for being their voice. If you were alive you would still be fighting the same battle you were fighting thirty years ago. If you were alive, would you be disappointed? If you were alive, would you see a different world from the one thirty years ago? Has nothing changed in thirty years?
Black people are still being killed by racist policemen like they were thirty years ago. Police brutality is still being covered by the justice system like it was thirty years ago. Women are still being forced to walk on the streets scared like they were thirty years ago. Woman are still being disrespected and raped like they were thirty years ago. There are women that are forced to have babies like they did thirty years ago and little girls that are stripped away from their childhood too early like they were thirty years ago. Kids are forced to work on the streets selling drugs and carrying guns just like they were thirty years ago. People are being hurt and then shut with the state’s hands on their mouth so they can't scream like they were thirty years ago.
But unlike thirty years ago, there are many more that fight for their beliefs, many more that don't stay quiet in front of injustice. Many more that represent the ones that cannot represent themselves. Many more that use art as a form of protest. Many more that sing to make their voices louder. Many more that are tired of having to keep their head down because they were scared, many more like you, many more like 2pac.
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