INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Nick Cannon Releases ‘Dallas Flowers’ Video In Memorial Tribute

By Nancy Bailey
Published on: 14:53 PST, Jul 25, 2016

Nick Cannon, a supporter of Black Lives Matter and an advocate for victims of police brutality, has released a new clip entitled “Dallas Flowers.”

Cannon’s piece is a poem which hit YouTube on Sunday, in conjunction with his “Spoken Word Sundays.”

The video is a reminder of all those lost in Dallas, as well as others across the country. Cannon is passionate about Black Lives Matter and shares the message regularly through his social media platform.

The “Dallas Flowers” video appeared on HipHopDX and is popping up on other online sources.

In the brief, poignant clip, Cannon talks about tragic killings of multiple police officers in Dallas.

Cannon, 35, also brings up the Black Lives Matter movement, making reference through an analogy about flowers blooming in the dirt.

The actor/rapper/comedian addresses the shootings through verse, naming the officers who were gunned down, and making comparisons to JFK.

“Dallas flowers, Dallas flowers will never stop growing”

“Watered by the tears of innocent children, Delicately relished by millions”

“Dallas flowers blossom in November. Remember 1963 to July of 2016”

“Officers Ahrens, Smith, Thompson, Zamarippa and Krol, All very reminiscent of Kennedy”

“Did he really mean, ‘Ask not what we did to this country, But look at what this country did to me?'”

“Dallas flowers appear abundantly, Not as a reminder of tragedy, But as a reminder of humanity.”

He continues, “A reminder of how much police and black lives are mattering, So make sure these Dallas flowers aren’t sent in vain, Let’s plant a seed of purpose instead of planting seeds of pain. Because every flower blooms from the dirt, But who knew our colors grew subsequently from the root of all this hurt? We’re bruised, black and blue –Black and blue, Dallas flowers.”

Cannon, along with music industry executive Shanti Das, spearheaded the Silence the Shame initiative, a mental health awareness campaign that began in May 2016.

According to XXL Mag, “Mental health always seems to come with a stigma. It’s more common that discussions about mental illness are often shunned or swept under the rug rather than put on front street. In the music industry conversations, about mental health awareness are just as few.”

It goes on to name both Chris Brown and Mariah Carey as victims of mental health issues. Statistically, mental health issues affect 43.8 million or 18.5 percent of American adults in a given year.

Das began the movement after struggling through depression and her father’s suicide, which occurred when she was just 7-months-old. She got Cannon to help with the campaign in the music industry.

“I believe we need to have more opportunity for more people to share their stories in order to change what’s going on in mental health. We’ve all dealt with it personally, whether it’s our families or people we love. If you or anyone you love needs help, shine light on the darkness and silence the shame.”

Shanti hopes the program will help to start a national conversation, leading to increased awareness and funding to help support those living with mental health conditions.

Das is enlisting the help of some of her celebrity friends and colleagues to jump-start the conversation about mental illness. Nick Cannon is one of the first supporters.

[Photo by Axel Schmidt/AP Images]

Share this article: Nick Cannon Releases ‘Dallas Flowers’ Video In Memorial Tribute
nick cannon Black Lives Matter
More from Inquisitr