--- description: Money from the sale of the song will go to the Mike Brown Memorial Fund title: Mike Brown Death Inspires Rappers to Release Tribute Song image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'Don't Shoot': Rappers, R&B Singers Release Mike Brown Tribute Song by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 28, 2014 1:50 AM CUT by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 28, 2014 1:50 AM CUT A slew of rappers and R&B singers released a song Wednesday that pays tribute to Michael Brown, the 18-year-old unarmed black teen shot in Missouri by police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. The song, entitled “Don’t Shoot” features artists including The Game, Rick Ross and Diddy, all of whom speak passionately about the need for justice in the wake of the teen’s death. Its release comes only two days after Brown’s funeral and two weeks after his hometown of Ferguson exploded in protest of the police. The Game told [_Rolling Stone_](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/the-game-rick-ross-diddy-2-chainz-dont-shoot-premiere-20140827 "undefined") he wanted to release the song because the issues surrounding Brown’s death really struck a chord. “I am a black man with kids of my own that I love more than anything, and I cannot fathom a horrific tragedy like Michael Brown’s happening to them,” the rapper told _Rolling Stone_. “This possibility has shaken me to my core. That is why this song must be made and why it was so easy for so many of my friends to come together and unite against the injustice. The song is available for purchase on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dont-shoot-feat.-rick-ross/id913324810?ls=1%20Proceeds%20go%20to%20http://www.gofundme.com/justiceformikebrown "undefined"). Funds from the song’s sales will to the [Mike Brown Memorial Fund](http://www.gofundme.com/justiceformikebrown "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3198910/dont-shoot-rappers-rb-singers-release-mike-brown-tribute-song/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3198910/dont-shoot-rappers-rb-singers-release-mike-brown-tribute-song/"},"headline":"'Don't Shoot': Rappers, R&B Singers Release Mike Brown Tribute Song","datePublished":"2014-08-28T01:50:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T09:53:36.927Z","description":"Money from the sale of the song will go to the Mike Brown Memorial Fund","url":"https://time.com/3198910/dont-shoot-rappers-rb-singers-release-mike-brown-tribute-song/","keywords":["Music","Ferguson topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3198910/dont-shoot-rappers-rb-singers-release-mike-brown-tribute-song/","name":"'Don't Shoot': Rappers, R&B Singers Release Mike Brown Tribute Song"}}]}] ```