“Black isn’t just a race anymore. It’s a feeling and a place from which one feels isolated by the world of the governing elite.”
The-Dream surprise released a new song, "Black," on Tuesday night.
"Classism is the New Racism..." he captioned the song's lyric video, which juxtaposes the refrain "I feel real black right now" with footage of Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, Marvin Gaye, Pussy Riot, Harvey Milk, and Occupy Wall Street protestors. When photos of Vladimir Putin, Joseph Kony, and banned-from-the-NBA LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling appear, The-Dream sings: "[My momma] said never be impressed with / a man with no message." Later, he says, "Enough pain can make a whole race bitter / They say the right amount of love can heal us."
The video ends with this statement: "Black isn't just a color. Black isn't just a race anymore. It's a feeling and a place from which one feels isolated by the world of the governing elite. Classism is the new racism. This is what black feels like."
It's possible The-Dream wrote "Black" with Sterling in mind, but it appears the song is part of a larger project, possibly titled Pro Onyx, that he's been teasing with black and white photos of Civil Rights leaders on Instagram since March.
Best known for his work as a songwriter with Beyoncé and Rihanna ("Countdown," "Single Ladies," "XO"; "Umbrella"), The-Dream parted ways with label Def Jam in January, and is now operating as an independent artist.
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