Six years ago Kashief Lindo was among millions of people who watched the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Both black men who died at the hands of white police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City.

He and his father Willie lay tracks for a song that became Human Life which was released in June as the death of George Floyd — another black American — sparked international outrage.

“It’s always the same, nothing has changed for black people. Human Life was recorded at least six years ago, so as I said, nothing has changed,” said Lindo.

Human Life was written and produced by the elder Lindo for his HeavyBeat Records which is based in South Florida. It is the follow-up to Till Dem Bun di House which also decries racial injustice.

Kashief Lindo said “it was hard to watch” the May 25 death of Floyd in Minneapolis. He was suffocated when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, while three other officers watched.

The offending officer has been charged with second degree murder while his colleagues who watched the incident without intervening, have also been prosecuted.

There were other high-profile deaths of black Americans by white police in the US during that period. They are Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta.

For the Kingston-born Lindo, who has lived most of his life in the US, those incidents are almost par for the course.

“Except for COVID-19 it is not tougher than any other year. This has been our life year after year,” he said.

George Floyd’s death triggered protests throughout the US by the Black Lives Matter movement. It also prompted calls by activists, celebrities, and legislators for widescale police reform in that country.

— Howard Campbell