SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — This past year was filled with emotional exhaustion, healing, and new insight for DeMario McDow, a Simi Valley rapper also known as DeMario SB.

McDow spent the year protesting against police brutality and learned how to be a voice for others. About three years ago, he wrote and created a song called "Peace (So Divided)," not knowing it would soon begin to hold a whole new meaning.

"Everything that’s happening right now is in this song," he said. "Like back then, when I wrote it, it was more like, it was about gang violence because I lost my friend due to that."

Since then, as McDow explained, he has felt a roller-coaster of emotions as he reflects on the challenges he’s faced as a Black man.

“I’ve been pulled over numerous times by the cops and I’ve had a gun pulled on me at least a couple times,” he said.

But through protests against police brutality and speaking against racial injustices, McDow shared that he gained the confidence to be a voice for others, as he explained last June how he felt at the time:

"In this situation, we’re all not OK," he said. "It took a toll on us mentally, physically, emotionally. A lot of us are drained from this, and it’s only been nine days of protests. But it’s been going on for so many years."

McDow has also called out a Simi Valley councilman, who has since apologized, for sharing what McDow described as a racist post on Facebook.

But as he speaks out against injustices, McDow can’t help but reflect on the civil rights movement Martin Luther King Jr. led to gain equal rights for the Black community over 60 years ago and the injustices McDow continues to witness to this day.

“The impact it has on me is to just, you know, is to protect my loved ones and also protect myself and just not stop until there’s peace,” he said.

Until then, McDow added that he’ll continue to speak out and channel his thoughts through his music in hopes of inspiring change.