The Stream

Janelle Monae’s anthem of protest hits a nerve on indifference to black lives

Monae receives praise for ‘powerful’ anthem, criticism for ‘co-opting #SayHerName’.

Janelle Monae’s Wondaland Records released ‘Hell You Talmbout‘ in protest of anti-black violence. One by one, the artists chant names of black people who’ve been killed, or who have died in police custody. The list of names includes men, women, and children; people killed by police and those killed by others, some recently and others in years before.