J. Cole has a new song out that speaks directly to the rage following Mike Brown’s murder in Ferguson. The track is called "Be Free" and features cover art of the widely circulated social media image of Brown’s body sprawled on the sidewalk after he was shot and killed by a police officer. On it, J. Cole sings his painful plea: "Can you tell me why/every time I step outside I see my niggas die?/ I’m letting you know, that it ain’t no gun that they make that can kill my soul."

Cole released a written message with the song: "Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free – Cole"

Within the first 6 hours after it was uploaded to Soundcloud, the track has been played more than 62,000 times.