This song was inspired by the police shooting (and killing) of 23-year-old Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo, an unarmed man who didn’t know he was risking his life just for pulling out his wallet on February 4, 1999.

4 N.Y.P.D. police officers fired a total of 41 shots, 19 of which struck Diallo, outside his own apartment at 1157 Wheeler Avenue in the Soundview section of The Bronx.

The song debuted in concert in Atlanta on 04 June 2000, the last concert before The Reunion Tour’s final 10-show run at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where it was also performed on all ten. The live 01 Jul 2000 version was released on Live In New York City, while a studio recording of the song only appeared on a radio promotional CD-R single.