Next week marks the second anniversary of the death of Eric Garner, the black Staten Island man who died after police put him in a chokehold. His case of police brutality was one of the first to help spawn the Black Lives Matter movement, which, in recent weeks, has seen a resurgence following the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
As a tribute to both Garner and those who support BLM, Garner’s family has shared a new song today called “I Can’t Breathe”. Written by his brother and sister, Ellisha and Steven Flagg, it’s named after the last few words Garner spoke before his tragic passing, a phrase that has become a rally crying for the anti-police brutality movement. “The song is dedicated to the struggle everyone is going through,” Garner’s family told Billboard.
“If I lose my car, I can get another one/ Lose my house, I can get another one/ Lose my mind, I create another one/ They took my brother and I can never get another one,” Steven can be heard rapping on the soulful track. Chiming in for her verse, Ellisha sings, “I can hear my brother crying, ‘I can’t breathe’/ Now I’m in this trouble and I can’t leave/ We all know the solution but they blame you and me/ We’re ain’t gonna stop, until all us free.”
Stream it below.
In January 2015, shortly after being informed that the police officer responsible for choking Garner would not face any charges, the Garner family released the song “This Ends Today”.