Winter in America: Aaron Byrd Speaks Through His Show

It’s truly a privilege being a DJ on a station like KCRW. With events like the terrorist attack on the Black Business District in Tulsa in 1921, the brutal murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955, and the senseless deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile just days ago, many of you are now learning that if you are black man in America, it is also a privilege to be alive.

I say you because most of you don’t look like me, or Trayvon, or Tamir, or Eric, or countless others. As a black man in America, I’ve had several unprovoked encounters with law enforcement because I “fit the profile”. Yes, those are the literal words the police officers used. So for many of us, as the late Gil Scott-Heron would say, this “Ain’t No New Thing.”

Over the last few days, many from both sides of this socially constructed divide of you and us have seen footage of police officers kill a man and become unified by feelings of anger, devastation, and horror. I’m of the belief that being on a public radio station I am beholden to the public – I have a responsibility to serve the people. Sometimes that means using my show as a platform to express the sentiments of many. In a decision I made just moments before my show last night, I chose to do just that.

Tracklist:JAMES BALDWIN Excerpt From “Living And Growing In A White World”GIL SCOTT-HERON Did You Hear What They SaidCURTIS MAYFIELD To Be InvisibleCURTIS MAYFIELD (Don’t Worry) If There’s A Hell Below, We’re All Going To GoDEAD PREZ I Have A Dream, TooMARVIN GAYE Anger (Alternate Extended Mix)EDDIE KENDRICKS My People…Hold OnCURTIS MAYFIELD We The People Who Are Darker Than BlueMALCOLM X American CourtsGIL SCOTT-HERON Winter In AmericaDEAD PREZ Police StateKRS-ONE Sound Of Da PoliceJAMES BALDWIN Excerpt From “Living And Growing In A White World”GIL SCOTT-HERON Ain’t No New ThingSYL JOHNSON Is It Because I’m BlackBOBBY (BLUE) BLAND Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The CityCHOCOLATE MILK Actions Speak Louder Than WordsMALCOLM X White Man’s LawMOS DEF Fear Not Of ManBILLY PAUL Am I Black Enough For You?87TH OFF BROADWAY WhyCURTIS MAYFIELD Cannot Find A WayGIL SCOTT-HERON Don’t Give UpCURTIS MAYFIELD Keep On Keeping OnTHE DRAMATICS Hey You! Get Off My MountainJAMES BALDWIN Excerpt From “Living And Growing In A White World”CEE-LO GREEN SometimesD’ANGELO & THE VANGUARD The CharadeMESHELL NDEGEOCELLO God.Fear.MoneyFATIMA Rest In PeaceSADE It’s Only Love That Gets You ThroughFAZE ACTION Vigilante SongKENDRICK LAMAR Complexion (A Zulu Love) (Feat Rapsody)KENDRICK LAMAR How Much A Dollar Cost (Ft. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)PUBLIC ENEMY Public Enemy No. 1PUBLIC ENEMY Black Steel In The Hour Of ChaosGIL SCOTT-HERON Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Ramsey Hercules Edit)DEAD PREZ Walk Like A WarriorMARVIN GAYE Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)