"I Can't Breathe" | ||||
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Single by H.E.R. | ||||
Released | June 19, 2020 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 4:47 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II | |||
H.E.R. singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"H.E.R. - I Can't Breathe" on YouTube |
"I Can't Breathe" is a song by H.E.R. released on June 19, 2020. It was written by H.E.R., D'Mile and Tiara Thomas and produced by D'Mile. It reached number 20 on Billboard 's Hot R&B Songs. [1] The song won Song of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, serving as H.E.R.'s first ever win in this category.
Patricia Sanchez of Grimy Goods wrote: "While it may be hard for some to put into words the anger, frustration or pain felt after witnessing the death of George Floyd, yet another innocent, black individual lost to a deep and systemic issue in our society, H.E.R. finds the strength and wherewithal to transcend her anger into a meaningful and eloquent piece of protest art." [2] Elizabeth Aubrey of NME called the song "powerful", [3] while Billboard described the single as "moving". [4]
At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, "I Can't Breathe" won the Song of the Year; it marks H.E.R's first win and second song to be nominated in this category after "Hard Place" (2020). [5]
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
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2020 | MTV Video Music Awards | Video For Good | Won | [6] |
2020 | MTV Europe Music Awards | Video for Good | Won | [7] |
2020 | Soul Train Music Awards | The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter of the Year Award | Won | [8] |
2021 | Grammy Awards | Song of the Year | Won | [9] |
The music video for H.E.R.'s "I Can't Breathe" was released on June 26, 2020, on YouTube, and directed by Shane Adams. As of 2021, the video has received over 1.9 million views on YouTube. The music video has the song accompanying footage of different marches around the world protesting police brutality and systemic racism. The video pays tribute to victims of police brutality by displaying their names throughout the music video, some of those include George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Philando Castile. [10]
The music video was nominated for and won both MTV's 2020 Video For Good Award [11] and MTV Europe's 2020 award of the same name. [12]
H.E.R. performed "I Can't Breathe" live in 2020 as a part of iHeartRadio's Living Room Concert Series Presented by State Farm. [13] The artist also performed the song live for Apple Music on June 26, 2020 as a part of their Black Music Month. [14]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
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US Hot R&B Songs ( Billboard ) [1] | 20 |
The MTV Video Music Awards is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards, the annual MTV Video Music Awards ceremony has often been called the "Super Bowl for youth", an acknowledgment of the VMA ceremony's ability to draw millions of youth from teens to 20-somethings each year. By 2001, the VMA had become a coveted award.
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the most prestigious competitive award and the final award presented at the annual MTV Video Music Awards. The award was created by the U.S. network MTV to honor artists with the best music videos. At the first MTV Video Music Awards ceremony in 1984, the Video of the Year honor was presented to The Cars for the video "You Might Think". Originally, all winners were determined by a special panel of music video directors, producers, and record company executives. Since the 2006 awards, winners of major categories are determined by viewers' votes through MTV's website, while the jury decides in the technical categories.
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip Hop Video was first given out at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The award, according to MTV, was originally intended for hip hop-inspired songs, not necessarily actual hip hop music videos. This explains the recognition of non-hip hop songs such as "Thong Song" and "I'm Real (Remix)". The award was not given out in 2007, as the VMAs were revamped and most original categories were eliminated, however, Best Hip Hop Video was reinstated in 2008. By then, though, the rules had relatively changed, as R&B and rap videos also became eligible for nominations in this category since the awards for Best Rap Video and Best R&B Video were not brought back.
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