'Teardrops': Kano Tackles Police Brutality in GRM Daily Rated Awards Performance

"We need to face it. We can't just sweep it under the rug and make ourselves believe it's not there."

That was UK Grime artist Kano speaking about UK racism in an interview back in 2016. As the country first entered into post-Brexit hostilities, he pointed out that some of the social issues that we often attribute to other countries like the US are just as prevalent and in need of addressing right here at home. As he talks about how his mother came over from Jamaica and has always faced racial prejudice, he makes sure to get across that racism is alive and kicking in the UK today.

Fast forward 5 years, and the world is perhaps more aware of these issues than ever before. The recent surge in support for BLM across the globe has ensured that people can't pretend that they weren't aware of these issues anymore, and Kano is still here ensuring just that. In a recent performance for the GRM Daily Rated Awards, Kano performed his single 'Teardrops' from the wheel of his car. The video sees him driving around London until he is pulled over by police. The video cuts abruptly between an alarmingly realistic exchange between himself and the police, and his verses. The officers then proceed to smash his window and drag him out of the car, leaving a series of facts and statistics about police brutality on the screen before us.

It's a powerful video with a powerful point, and one that can't be made enough. 'Teardrops' is taken from Kano's latest album 'Hoodies All Summer'.