During the fifth annual telecast of BET’s Black Girls Rock!, the network honored female trailblazers in film, television, music, education and philanthropy, but they also spent a moment addressing current events. With the influx of police brutality and the deaths of Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Akai Gurley and countless other victims, the show dedicated a musical portion to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Featuring performances from Lalah Hathaway and Fantasia, the set also included Faith Evans, who performed a rendition of J. Cole’s heartfelt outcry for Mike Brown, “Be Free.” As photos of protests flash across the screens, Evans evoked an emotional response from the audience, and a Twitter acknowledgement from Cole himself:
“@JColeNC: Faith Evans. We feel you. Beautiful.” Thank u very much! What a powerful song!
— Faith Renée Evans (@faithevans) April 6, 2015
Watch Faith Evans take on J. Cole’s “Be Free” for Black Girls Rock! in the video above.