Classified's new music video a voice for missing and murdered Indigenous women
The Canadian rapper recently released a music video for his song 'Powerless'
© Reuters
MUSIC Classified
In a heartfelt Facebook post, the Nova Scotian revealed that his song 'Powerless' was inspired by the story of an 11-year-old girl who was raped by a man in Newfoundland, as well as the far-too-numerous accounts of abuse towards women and children, particularly in Indigenous communities. The rapper wrote: "We need to speak up for these kids... don't let them feel powerless."
Canada has long struggled with the national crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, with statistics indicating that Indigenous women remain disproportionately more likely to be affected by violence. Classified raps, "Too many unanswered questions and open murder cases / Without a voice how are we supposed to encourage changes?"
The video is directed by Grammy-nominated Andrew Hines and portrays the traumas of young women and Indigenous communities. Cases of missing women dating from the 1970s and extending into 2018 are highlighted in the video, which was shot on First Nations land and features an entirely Indigenous cast.
The final scene is a black screen with a caption that reads: "We must do everything in our power to protect them."
Watch it here.