I Can't Breathe

On May 25, 2020, 46-year-old African-American George Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. A white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes while handcuffing him. Shortly before dying, Floyd was heard saying, "I can't breathe." The death of Floyd at the hands of a white police officer sparked a series of rallies and protest marches in major cities across America and elsewhere.

H.E.R. wrote this social justice song inspired by the events, using Floyd's last words as a metaphor for what African-Americans experience under systemic racism. I can't breathe You're taking my life from me I can' breathe Will anyone fight for me? The songstress is calling for an end to the continual stifling of the African-American community.

H.E.R. premiered the song during the June 10, 2020 episode of iHeartRadio's Living Room Concert Series. The performance was filmed at a recording studio in Brooklyn with only the singer and her band present because of the global coronavirus pandemic lockdown. "These lyrics were kind of easy to write because it came from a conversation of what's happening right now, what's been happening, and the change that we need to see," said H.E.R. introducing "I Can't Breathe." "I think music is powerful when it comes to change and when it comes to healing and that's why I wrote this song, to make a mark in history. And I hope this song does that."