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Hip Hop Awards ‘20: Cordae Delivers Profound Freestyle On The Current State of Black Lives

The 23-year-old rapper’s opening verse came with a poignant message.

Rap music has long been a rallying cry for Black people to speak out against systematic oppression. That tradition continued at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards tonight (October 27). In a moment reflective of the unprecedented times we’re currently facing, the show opened with a profound freestyle from Cordae. Against a black backdrop, the 23-year-old rapper delivered a poignant spoken word performance.

“What is the purpose of our existence? What are you content with? What are we really after in life and what are your intentions?  What’s the essentials to living? These fundamental decisions are quite necessary,” he fired off. 

“It’s difficult to recognize your demons / Learning to forgive but way easier to get even / I know which route that I’m taking / But what do you believe in?” he continued “The road that’s less traveled seems to have the best battles / I defeated Father Time / Mother Nature is bad for broken generational curses for motivational purposes.”

Later in the freestyle, Cordae noted, “Our idea of freedom is being held for hostage / But it don’t matter because we dealt with the worst.”  

To close, the North Carolina rap star pondered, “What beliefs could I dispel with this verse?” 

The screen then faded to “VOTE” spray-painted in red over three white bars. 

RELATED: Hip Hop Awards ‘20: 5 Politically-Charged Moments That Are Still Relevant Today

Check his freestyle and reactions to it below.

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