Trey Songz, 2020 Riots: How Many Times | Track Review 🎵

Trey Songz lends his voice to the movement & protests on racial inequality & injustice with the brilliant “2020 Riots: How Many Times.”

“They say all I talk about is sex.” More times than not, we associate Trey Songz with sex, just as he asserts on the intro from “Unusual” from his 2010 album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure.  However, like so much of the world, Songz is perturbed and totally pissed off about the racial injustice which has really come to head in 2020, due to the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.  While there have been peaceful protests, there have also been violent, full-on riots.  On his ‘uncharacteristic’ single, “2020 Riots: How Many Times,” he superbly captures the frustration and the pain.

From the beginning, it is clear that Songz is opting for more of an old-school vibe with a dash of gospel sensibilities.  Rather than rely on the synths that characterized so much of popular music in the 2010s into 2020, he’s backed by keyboards primarily. Troy Oliver and Troy Taylor give him fuel for his fire, alongside the many troubling happenings themselves.  After providing some brief insight on the intro, Songz cuts straight to the chase on the somber chorus:

“How many mothers have to cry
How many brothers gotta die?
How many more times?
How many more times?
How many more marches?
How many more signs”
How many more lives?
How many more times?”

That’s heavy to say the least. On the verses, he drives the narrative of injustices, referencing details that occurred to those slain (“Playin’ in a park, takin’ your jog…”) and calling for action.  One lyric that particular hits hard: “You got a problem, ‘cause the city on fire / But you quiet when niggas die…” Of course, Songz is more eloquent at times, such as, “It’s so hard to sing these words out loud / All these beautiful, precious black lives / Lost in the name of senseless white pride / Tears fallin’ from my eyes.”

Final Thoughts 

I could write a book on “2020 Riots: How Many Times” but I’d rather you listen and take in all the heartfelt, thoughtful things that Trey Songz sings.  He does an excellent job in the vocal department (when doesn’t he?), and despite the devastation he sings about, the choral vocals definitely add even more excellence and power.  Sure, I mentioned how “2020 Riots: How Many Times” is a change of pace for the artist, but, it’s not even about that.  This is the time to ‘be about it’ and ‘stand up.’  That’s what Trey conveys.

Trey Songz • “2020 Riots: How Many Times” • Atlantic • Release: 6.5.20

Photo Credit: Atlantic