There’s a tweet by writer Quinta Brunson that I think about a lot:

“Being black [sic] is having a good day and then seeing another black person was killed for no reason,” she wrote, “then you have to think about/talk about that all day. or don’t and numb yourself.”

This tweet pretty much encapsulates my feelings whenever I hear about another killing. It can be crushing mourning another death, getting angry over it, numbing yourself, feeling guilt for numbing yourself, and just feeling helpless because it keeps happening and it won’t stop.

This is by no means to say we are helpless because we aren’t, but it’s almost impossible not to feel like that sometimes. The best way I’ve found to cope with this is through music. Listening to songs that articulate the struggle and spit in its face. They give me strength and solidarity in the way only good music can, and it makes sure I keep fighting.

Here are some songs I use to help me. Note that these songs are all rap because my music taste has the range of a picky 5-year-old, and I don’t think the non-rap songs I’d pick would mesh well.

1. “F-ck Tha Police”  – N.W.A
2. “Sound of Da Police”  – KRS-One
3. “Police State”  – Dead Prez
4. “Don’t Die”  – Killer Mike
5. “Just A Friendly Game of Baseball”  – Main Source
6. “Cops Shot The Kid”  – Nas ft. Kanye West
7. “Mr. N-gga”  – Mos Def ft. Q-Tip
8. “We The People”  –  A Tribe Called Quest
9. “LAND OF THE FREE”  – Joey Bada$$
10. “Alright”  – Kendrick Lamar