Video: Elijah Blake feat. Donald Lawrence & Co. – Hanging Tree (2020 Stripped)

2x Grammy winner Elijah Blake is contributing his voice to the movement by recording a stripped down version of a powerful record he had previously released after seeing it surge in searches during the protests. In fact, the song “Hanging Tree,” featuring the legendary Donald Lawrence & Co, was a trending search on Shazam last week. Seeing this as an opportunity to help the movement, he recorded a stripped down version, released it with a moving and powerful visual, is offering his website as a resource hub and donating the proceeds to benefit organizations supporting in the fight for Black Lives. Visit elijahblake.com to view the resource hub, the powerful visual and a personal letter from Elijah. He originally recorded “Hanging Tree” after he received a request to be included in a compilation album to benefit Harry Belafonte’s organization SANKOFA.

“Still watching and feeling the affairs of this country unfold, I felt the need to use my voice to add to the movement, cause the way they do my kind, I just want to cry. You guys dug this song up and it’s finally getting a chance to heal as I intended when I originally wrote it. Seeing you all use it while marching or reciting the words in group chants or even passing it along in group chants has been bitter sweet but so necessary and necessary in this fight for change. Let’s keep it going.” –Elijah Blake

About Elijah Blake:
Elijah Blake is known industry-wide as the pioneer behind the birth of Alt-R&B having penned several chart-topping history making hits such as Usher’s No. 1 chart-topper “Climax.” As a hitmaker, he’s behind countless smash records for the likes of Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Kelly Rowland, Nas, Justin Bieber, Common, J. Cole, No I.D., The Game, Rick Ross, Dej Loaf, and many more.