Josh Wehle

In Joey Bada$$’ new video for “Like Me,” the 20-year old Brooklyn rapper takes a swing at police violence through a captivating narrative that puts him at the other side of an officer’s gun. 

Joey Bada$$, the Brooklyn MC WIth Malia Obama’s Endorsement, Reveals His Inspirations

“My way of protesting is through my music,” he told Mother Jones, who premiered the clip Wednesday. “With this newfound stature I have this voice where if I say something, a lot of people listen to it.”

Watch it here:

Bada$$ told the publication, “In the video, the hot-headed guy, he gets killed by the police with a gun in his hand. And me, the cool guy, who is away from all the violence, I still end up being mixed in the loop–just being a victim because of my surroundings or where I’m from…. I pray that there is hope. But even the fact that I have to dream like that is what’s disturbing. My message is that it can happen to any one of us.”