Jay-Z Speaks On Donald Trump Protests & Kalief Browder Mini-series: “We Are The Power”

Jay-Z, along with Beyoncé, has been very vocal in recent years with power and government, it started in 2008 with Barack Obama campaigning to become president in his first term, and it has transcended in years of speaking out more publicly against unfair treatment of all people in government; from #BlackLivesMatter to spending money to get people out of jail during the Baltimore protests. 

Jay-Z is producing a six-part mini-series, is the first project under the two-year deal he has with The Weinstein Company.

“We have to organize. I’ve been in these meetings, I’ve spoken with people, I’ve done many things behind the scenes, but most important: We are the power!” the rapper said during the premiere of his Spike TV documentary series TIME: The Kalief Browder Story.

The Jay Z-produced six-part mini-series is the first project under the two-year deal the rap mogul struck last year with The Weinstein Company. The series follows 16-year-old Kalief Browder, who was arrested for allegedly stealing a backpack, never charged, and nevertheless confined to solitary confinement for more than 800 days. This led to President Obama’s ban of solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons. Browder, unfortunately ended his life by suicide after not being able to deal with/get over his trauma from being in prison at such a young age. The charges were eventually dropped.

“Prior to going to jail, I never had any mental illnesses,” Browder once told HLN. “I never tried to hurt myself, I never tried to kill myself, I never had any thoughts like that. I had stressful times prior to going to jail, but not like during jail. That was the worst experience that I ever went through in my whole life.”

“I’m sure a lot of you guys participated in it, but that display of woman power the other day was so amazing and we saw the effect: That no matter what, no matter who’s in office, we are the people that’s in power,” the 21-time Grammy-winner said.

 

“More than ever, the people have to come together,” Jay Z told the audience at Sundance. “We have to tell these stories, and we have to organize in a way that we never have before, because that’s the only thing that effects change. I hate to sound like such a cynic. Everything is based on votes, and who you can put in office.”