2020 Riots: How Many Times

Album: Back Home (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Trey Songz wrote this fiery protest anthem as a way of channeling his righteous anger about police brutality and institutionalized racism. The R&B star explained that the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white policeman and the ensuing protests across the country hit him hard. He was lying awake in bed one night with a pounding chest, so he got up and called his producer, Troy Taylor, saying, "We've got to make music that really touches the soul, that really addresses what the world is feeling right now. Especially our people."

    This was the track they came up with. "With the words in this song I just wanted to speak to everyone's hearts and acknowledge the pain and anguish everyone is going through right now," he said. "I know this ain't usually my message and you're not used to hearing this from me, but this is the person I've always been."
  • A portion of the proceeds from the release of "2020 Riots" will directly benefit both Black Lives Matter and the Community Justice Exchange's National Bail Fund Network.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?