Yes, Officer to Donate 100% of Proceeds from New LP to Black Visions Collective, Release New Single “Play in Traffic”

Following the violent and cruel murder of black American civilian George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25th, outrage in both the United States and Canada have sparked wave upon wave of protests and rioting in the week that has followed. Many North American musicians and celebrities have used their platforms to spread messages of peace and solidarity with the marginalized communities affected by these crimes.

From our own backyard we have St. John’s post hardcore outfit Yes, Officer, which was originally the one man band of Jeremy Harnum but has since expanded to include a full lineup. Harnum announced the band’s new record, Autobiography of a Naysayer, on May 23rd. As a result of the tumultuous situation underway across much of the continent, Yes, Officer have offered to donate 100% of the proceeds from their upcoming third record to Black Visions Collective, a charity dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression.

In Harnum’s own words:

BLACK LIVES MATTER. INDIGENOUS LIVES MATTER.

Complacency is siding with the oppressor. We must do better. I acknowledge my privilege as a white man and I will use it to speak up. I will call out racism when I hear it, when I see it, and do better as a human for those who need the most help; the systemically oppressed minorities who cannot live in peace until there is justice and change. Enough is enough. One person’s life being senselessly ended is far too many.

Disgusted by the actions of the police officers that murdered George Floyd this past week, and for so many other people who have died at the hands of police throughout our history, Yes, Officer will be donating 100% of the proceeds of “Autobiography of a Naysayer” from Bandcamp to Black Visions Collective, “a black, trans, and queer-led organization that is committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence, and shifting the narrative to create transformative long-term change”.

Purchase the new single at the link below. Pay what you can, fill out your email address and it will act as a preorder. Once the album is released on June 12, I will send you a download code. I will personally start with donating $20 of my own.

https://yesofficer.bandcamp.com/track/play-in-traffic

This is not just an “American problem”. This is global, this is Canadian, this is in our own back yard and we need to recognize that. To lend a helping hand, you can visit this handy Google Doc below with numerous links to community led projects and movements which are helping the people who need it most.

https://bit.ly/3gCWOXz

JH

#blacklivesmatter#justiceforgeorgefloyd

The group’s new single, “Play in Traffic”, was released on Saturday, May 30th, and is available for purchase and download via their Bandcamp page. You can listen to it through our Bandcamp embed below.

~ Akhenaten