Ari Lennox, Chance The Rapper, And More Pay Tribute To Breonna Taylor On Her 27th Birthday

Hip-hop came out in force online to pay tribute to the late Breonna Taylor on what would have been her 27th birthday. The Louisville native was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers on March 13, 2020 while serving a “no-knock warrant” for selling controlled substances. Taylor was shot eight times after her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire on what he believed to be intruders who hadn’t announced themselves as police officers. No drugs were found in the apartment. Taylor’s death, along with those of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.

Taylor, who was an EMT for University of Louisville Jewish Hospital and Norton Healthcare, would have been 27 today. Her birthday became a rallying cry for the #SayHerName social media movement which calls attention to the Black, female victims of police violence who are ordinarily overlooked by some who choose to focus on the Black men killed by police. Among the artists paying tribute to Breonna Taylor were stars like Alicia Keys, Ari Lennox, Chance The Rapper, Charli XCX, Chika, Earthgang, Janelle Monae, Jhene Aiko, Kash Doll, Kehlani, Lil Dicky, Missy Elliott, Nas, Rapsody, and more. Many shared resources to organizations combatting police violence and advocating for justice reform.

See some of the tributes to Breonna Taylor below.

Some artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.