SHORELINE, Wash. — A man dressed in police riot gear chased a Black man wearing a suit through a Shoreline park: it's a scene reminiscent of what has been recorded on cell phone video and played on the news over and over again.
While not a real scenario in the case of Nathan Nzanga, it's a fear that many can relate to.
"It doesn't matter what I wear necessarily," said Nzanga. "As soon as people see my Black skin, they put on a certain prejudice."
The police "chase" was shot for a video and song project Nzanga has created called "Truth." The artist said the song demands Black voices to be heard.
"Maybe I'm not loud enough. You don't seem to care enough," sings Nzanga at the intro to his song, followed by, "can't love me if you don't know me. Can't know me if you don't hear me."
KING 5 first met Nzanga four years ago when he wrote a song called "Truce" after an exceptionally bloody year for Black people at hands of police.
The song asked people to see things from each other's perspectives. But even after nearly two million streams on Spotify, "Truce" hasn't brought peace.
"After writing 'Truce,' I felt sad that more and more was happening, every day," said Nzanga. "It was like, did I do anything?"
"Truth" is an angrier song than its predecessor.
Nzanga said he is "fed up" with what's happening to Black people at the hands of police.
But he also sings about a conversation he had with police officers in Chicago during George Floyd riots there.
"I’m at these riots. I fear for my life, hoping I’ll make it to daughter and wife. Y’all wanna kill me because of my badge. Under my uniform, I’m still just a dad."
Nathan approached a group of Chicago police, hands raised in the air, to get their perspective on the protests.
He said they responded: "The cops on all these videos, they don't represent us. We're trying to do a good job."
Nzanga responds, "I hear that, but if you're not holding cops accountable, you can't be shocked that people are upset. They do truly believe that what they're doing is right, to protect people and property, but if you're not willing to hold yourselves accountable, that goes out the window."
Nzanga is a product of Prodigy Camp, which mentors the best and brightest young musicians and filmmakers from around the world.
The camp closed due to coronavirus this summer, but founder Rick Stevenson said an entire production team has assembled, including director Caleb Slain, who has directed for Eminem, volunteering their time to get Nzanga's message heard.
"It just seemed like the perfect opportunity, almost like we were meant to not have the camp so that we could amplify his voice," said Stevenson.
In order to hear Nzanga's voice though, he said people need to be willing to listen to each other.
That's what he hopes "Truth" will inspire people to do.
"I recognize that your truth is valid, but recognize that mine is valid and I'll continue to fight for whatever I can. Just love each other and work with one another. We will get through it."