Music Library
Explore our collection of songs that champion human rights, equality, and justice.
Silvio Rodríguez - Derecho Humano
✨ A poetic reflection on dignity, identity, and the human need to be recognised beyond labels and expectations. “Derecho Humano” (“Human Right”) by Silvio Rodríguez is a deeply introspective song that explores what it means to be seen, understood, and respected as a human being. Released in 1999 as part of the album Mariposas, the song approaches human rights from a personal and philosophical perspective rather than through direct political protest.
Joseph Kamaru - J.M. Kariuki
✨ A courageous song demanding truth, accountability, and justice in the face of political violence. “J.M. Kariuki” by Joseph Kamaru is a powerful example of music becoming a form of political memory and human-rights advocacy. Released in 1975, the song responds to the murder of Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, popularly known as J.M. Kariuki, whose death became one of the most controversial political events in Kenya’s history.
Coldplay (written by Shervin Hajipour) - Baraye
✨ A global anthem for freedom, dignity, and the courage to demand a better future. “Baraye” performed by Coldplay is an international rendition of one of the most significant protest songs of recent years. Originally written and performed by Shervin Hajipour, “Baraye” became a defining soundtrack of the 2022 protests in Iran, expressing the hopes, frustrations, and demands of people calling for greater freedoms and equality.
Common - Trouble In The Water
✨ A powerful reflection on climate change, environmental injustice, and the interconnected struggles facing communities around the world. “Trouble in the Water” by Common, featuring Malik Yusef, Kumasi Project, Choklate, Laci Kay and Aaron Fresh, uses hip-hop as a platform to address environmental crisis, social inequality, and the human consequences of ecological destruction. Released as part of the environmental justice project HOME (Heal Our Mother Earth), the song connects climate change with questions of responsibility, inequality, and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!
✨ A rebellious anthem that became a surprising reflection on freedom, expression, and the power of challenging expectations. “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” by Beastie Boys is one of the most recognisable songs in hip-hop history. Released in 1986, the track became famous as a humorous celebration of youthful rebellion, but its cultural impact is more complex than its party-focused lyrics suggest.
M.I.A - Borders
✨ A powerful challenge to borders, migration politics, and the systems that decide who is allowed to belong. “Borders” by M.I.A. is a politically charged song that questions the divisions created by borders, nationalism, and unequal systems of power. Released in 2015 during the height of the global refugee crisis, the song and its striking music video draw attention to the experiences of migrants and refugees facing dangerous journeys, displacement, and exclusion.
The Abyssinians - Declaration of Rights
✨ A declaration of dignity, resistance, and the universal right to freedom. “Declaration of Rights” by The Abyssinians is a foundational roots reggae song that transforms the language of human rights into a call for liberation and collective empowerment. First recorded in the early 1970s and later released as part of the album Satta Massagana, the song reflects reggae’s deep connection to struggles against oppression, colonial legacies, and racial injustice.
Two Stones All Stars (written by Johnny Osbourne) - Truth and Rights
✨ A roots reggae call for justice, dignity, and the recognition of rights that belong to all people. “Truth and Rights” — written by Johnny Osbourne and performed here by Jolof Warrior with Two Stones All Stars — carries forward one of reggae’s most enduring messages: that freedom and human rights are not privileges granted by those in power, but fundamental claims of every person.
King Tubby - Human Rights Dub
✨ A pioneering instrumental statement connecting reggae, resistance, and the universal struggle for dignity and justice. “Human Rights Dub” by King Tubby is a landmark dub track that places the language of human rights at the centre of reggae’s tradition of social consciousness. While largely instrumental, the song’s title and atmosphere evoke the themes that shaped Jamaican roots music: freedom, equality, resistance to oppression, and the demand for dignity.
BélO - Istwa Dwol
✨ A song that confronts injustice, inequality, and the struggles of everyday life in Haiti through storytelling and social reflection. “Istwa Dwol” (“Funny Story”) by BélO is a powerful Haitian song that uses irony and observation to reflect on the contradictions, challenges, and injustices experienced by Haitian society. Through his blend of reggae, jazz, and Haitian rhythms, BélO transforms social commentary into a call for awareness, dignity, and change.
99 Posse - Children Ov Babylon
✨ A powerful call for justice, solidarity, and resistance against oppression. “Children Ov Babylon” by 99 Posse is a politically charged song that reflects on inequality, exploitation, and the struggles of communities affected by systems of power. Combining hip-hop, reggae, and punk influences, the Italian collective uses music as a form of resistance, giving voice to people who experience exclusion and social injustice.
Donovan - Universal Solider
✨ A timeless protest song questioning war, responsibility, and the human cost of conflict. “Universal Soldier” by Donovan is one of the most recognised anti-war songs of the 1960s. Written during the height of the Vietnam War era, the song challenges the idea that war is only created by governments and leaders, arguing instead that individuals also carry responsibility for the conflicts they participate in.