The four-minute track, which is written by Frank Ocean, is inspired by Keith Scott, an African-American male who was killed by police last year.
- Dec 14, 2017
AceShowbiz - N.E.R.D's long-awaited album "No_One Ever Really Dies" will be released in a few days and the funk rock band decides to hype up fans with a new track off the star-studded effort. Following Rihanna-assisted track "Lemon" and "1000" featuring Future, the Pharrell Williams-led band premiered "Don't Don't Do It" featuring Kendrick Lamar on December 13.
The track, which is written by Frank Ocean, begins with a lounge-like beat before transitioning into an uplifting beat with skittering drums. On Kendrick's verse, the California rapper spits lines about injustices against young black men as well as police brutality. "Black man do your great escape/ Pac-man wanna prosecute you, raise your hand up and they'll shoot ya," he raps. "Face off, face off Adolf Hitler/ Grandkids slayed off."
Speaking to Zane Lowe, Pharrell revealed that the track was inspired by Keith Scott, an African-American male who was killed during a fatal run-in with police last year. The incident was filmed by Keith's wife, who screamed "Don't do it," in the clip.
"I was watching the news," Pharrell explained. "This gentleman by the name of Keith Scott was in his minivan. He was waiting on his child to get off the school bus. The authorities was looking for someone. So what I believe is they encountered each other. His wife is standing trying to get to him. So she's filming the entire thing on her camera phone. And she knows, you can tell in her voice she sees what's going to happen. And of course, you know the way that turns out. He gets killed."
He went on saying that the incident was ironic as he wondered if the police "heard a voice in their mind after they were instructed to do something, if they heard a voice saying 'Don't do it. Don't don't do it.' And that's where the song came from. And so you know who better to enlist to help us communicate that feeling and that notion was Kendrick Lamar."
"No_One Ever Really Dies" is slated to be released on Friday, December 15. Along with Kendrick, Rihanna and Future, the set includes collaborations with Ed Sheeran and Gucci Mane.
