Anthony Hamilton gave us all some food for thought with the release of his current single "Mercy." The song, which features a fiery opening speech from activist Tamika D. Mallory, focuses on the plight of the Black man. Anthony gives the struggle rich life as he evokes the pain that Black people have suffered the world over, and especially in America. He connects the civil rights struggle of yesteryear and today with thought-provoking imagery in the song's just-released video.
The clip begins with the singer being harassed on the street before getting gunned down as the camera pans wide to show his body lying on a street emblazoned with a Black Lives Matter mural. That leads into Tamika D. Mallory, who delivers her speech alone as she speaks encouragement to Black men. Anthony then alludes to another the '50s and '60s as he performs in front of an empty lunch counter, recalling the protests of the time. While the remainder of the video focuses on his solo performance, clips of protests and images of the many lives we've lost in the present day — including Trayvon Martin, Kalief Browder, Mike Brown, George Floyd and others — flash on the screen. It's a somber reminder that though the times seem different from then, there's still a long way for us to go.
We appreciate Anthony Hamilton for giving us this visual reminder and we hope that it strikes a chord that inspires others to keep up the fight.
