March 13, 2021 | Today marks one year since the unlawful murder of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, at the hands of the police in Louisville, KY. For a  year now, there's been cries for justice and accountability, coupled with a commitment to "Say Her Name". 
 
I originally wrote the chorus and first verse of "Let Me Be Black" in May 2020 to process the loss of George Floyd. I've updated it since to remember Breonna and the countless other Black and Brown folks gone too soon. Below are the words from the initial post. I believe they best capture the essence of this message.
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"About a week ago I sat at the piano and started to imagine a song made with just the black keys. I almost didn’t share because it wasn’t finished and sounded imperfect. However, I am reminded that the sounds and after effects of racism and anti-blackness are unbearably dissonant, yet audibly heard in our cries for justice.

The call to “let me be Black” is all black keys and the integration of white keys appears in “oh how I need you,” which is a call for white and non-Black brothers and sisters to join in dismantling systems of injustice. The call to let us be black returns back to the joyous, almost childlike wonder of the black keys.

Interestingly, I forgot that I was wearing my Harvard shirt at the time, which prompts an interesting convo. The sad reality is that there are those who would use my Harvard graduate status to validate my existence, while also justifying the death of others who don’t have my specific experience.

Just as I encourage folks to treasure God for who He is and not merely for what He does, we as Black folks are crying out to be seen in the image of God as His masterpieces..seen in all shades of our blackness...seen as beautiful, worth keeping alive.

Let Me Be Black (Breona Taylor Tribute)| Dantrell Cotton

You Hold It All Together - Maverick City Music x UPPERROOM (cover)

Cover of Maverick City Music x Elevation Worship's song "Jireh"

Jireh - Maverick City Music x Elevation Worship (cover)

"A Christmas Remembered" is an homage to the songs that help us remember during a year we'll never forget.

What Child Is This

This Christmas

Oh Holy Night

Last Christmas

Joy To The World

Jingle Bells (Lo-Fi Scat Freestyle) - prod. by BabyBoyBlue

The Office - A Christmas Ode | Beat by The Hyphenate

O Come All Ye Faithful

Silent Night

Cover of Tauren Well’s Famous For (I Believe) from the Citizen of Heaven album.

#TaurenWells #FamousFor #IBelieve #CitizenofHeaven #Christianmusic #cover #worship #dantrellc

Tauren Wells - Famous For (I Believe) | Dantrell Cotton cover

New cover of Jesus Culture's Set A Fire, which is one of my favorite worship songs ever. Really helped me seek and desire more of Christ!

Set A Fire By Jesus Culture

Reviving my Soundcloud to share new music!

Dantrell Cotton

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