Jay Z Drops Song About Police Brutality Following Castile + Sterling Deaths

Following the tragic and senseless shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile earlier this week, Jay Z has released a track addressing police brutality and violence against the black community on Thursday (July 7).

The song, titled "Spiritual," is the artist's first new music since his last album, Magna Carta...Holy Grail, was released in 2013. It was released on TIDAL and made available to everyone, even listeners who do not subscribe to the streaming service.

"I made this song a year or so ago, I never got to finish it," the rapper wrote in a statement released along with the emotional track. "I'm saddened and disappointed in THIS America — we should be further along. WE ARE NOT."

The music mogul also revealed that he originally intended to release "Spiritual" following the death of Mike Brown in August 2014, but wasn't ready at the time. He shared that he knew, however, that the "issue [would] always be relevant."

"I trust God and know everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man… it's tough right now," Jay Z added. "Blessings to all the families that have lost loved ones to police brutality."

The release came only hours after the rapper's wife, Beyonce, shared her own poignant statement on the deaths of Sterling and Castile, two black civilians who were shot and killed by police officers on July 5 and July 6, respectively.

"We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities," she wrote. "We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives."

Listen to Jay Z's "Spiritual," below:

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