They Don't Care About Us by Ceebo Tha Rapper
What does revolutionary art look like? A question that seems loaded, perhaps even ridiculous, but one which Ceebo Tha Rapper's work also seems to beg. It looks like this, like the friend and cousin of a man slain by the police using his art to build and unify a movement. Revolutionary art looks like a music video the shooting of which is itself a protest, a protest whose content also produces the lyrics. Ezell Ford was murdered by LAPD officers on August 11, and three months later even the names of those officers have not been released. Ceebo Tha Rapper has been a central figure in the movement for justice for Ezell Ford.
But Ceebo is facing massive state violence himself. "They Don't Care About Us", his newest single, was released only a few days before he would be imprisoned on bullshit charges. Railroaded by a bogus "Field ID", Ceebo faces 4 to 24 years for a robbery that occurred miles away from him.
I Get Out
But while the robbery arrest may have happened before the killing of Ezell Ford, police have harassed Ceebo ever since his emergence as a leading activist and revolutionary artist. Now he's in jail awaiting sentencing. His supporters have started a crowd-sourcing drive to raise money for his lawyer fees and commissary. If you can, donate here. And if you're in the LA area, Ceebo's friends and fellow activists are putting out a call to pack the courtroom on the date of his sentencing, November 20th.
Rest In Peace Ezell Ford. #FreeCeebo!
Mr. Officer
Fuck tha Police