Why Pharrell says the Keith Scott shooting inspired his group’s new song
The fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott is now the inspiration behind a new song by Grammy award-winning artist Pharrell Williams and his group, N.E.R.D.
The group released the song “Don’t Don’t Do It!” on Wednesday. The track, featuring Kendrick Lamar, is from their upcoming album “No_One Ever Really Dies.”
“Don’t Don’t Do It!” conjures up Williams’ emotions during the time of the Keith Scott shooting, which led to protests and riots in uptown Charlotte in September 2016.
Williams was captivated by Scott’s widow recording the interaction with police. Her words “Don’t do it” to her husband made Williams wonder what went through the minds of Scott and other people who’ve died during police interactions.
“I’m thinking to myself, all these unarmed African American motorists,” Williams told Zane Lowe in a recorded interview for Beats1. “When you do what the authorities ask you to do, I wonder before you die, if your conscious says that to you, or asks you, or suggests to you ‘Don’t do it. Don’t, don’t do it.’”
The song highlights other cities that have been in the national spotlight following a fatal police shooting, including Baltimore, Md., Charleston, S.C., and Ferguson, Mo.
“No_One Ever Really Dies” releases on Dec. 15, according to Billboard.
LaVendrick Smith: @LaVendrickS
This story was originally published December 13, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Why Pharrell says the Keith Scott shooting inspired his group’s new song."