Artvoice

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NEW MUSIC: Zimbabwa-American artist/activist Shungudzo releases ‘”TO BE ME”

J
jamiemoses288  ·  February 3, 2021
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While personal and semi-autobiographical for Shungudzo, the message of “To be me” is universal: the need – and right – to feel safe in one’s own body. The video of her walking down an alley and being harassed by two men shows the vulnerability of a woman.

I wanna walk
Through an alley at night
Without making a knife with a key
Like oh my god
It’s safe
To be me
And the song goes beyond her being a woman to address the danger of being black.
Black in America 
Black and shoppin’
Black on a jog
In a locked apartment 
Black in car 
On a sidewalk dancin’ 
They did nothin’ wrong
Why are they in heaven?

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