When a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old called Michael Brown over the weekend, it ignited an outcry about police brutality and racism in America. Atlanta rapper and Outkast collaborator Killer Mike has reacted to Brown's death by posting this beautiful, heartfelt plea for unity on his Instagram page.

Alongside a haunting black and white picture of Brown's grieving parents (below), Killer Mike wrote: "We are human beings. We deserve to be buried by out (sic) children not the other way around. No matter how u felt about black people look at this mother and look at this father and tell me as a human being how u cannot feel empathy for them. How can u not feel sympathy for their pain and loss."

Read the full letter below:

"We are human beings. We deserve to be buried by out children not the other way around. No matter how u felt about black people look at this Mother and look at this father and tell me as a human being how u cannot feel empathy for them. How can u not feel sympathy for their pain and loos. These are not "THOTS, niggas/niggers, hoes, Ballers, Divas. These two people are parents. They are humans that produced a child and loved that child and that child was slaughtered like Game and left face down as public spectacle while his blood drained down the street.

Look at the pain of this mother, look into her eyes. Look at the Man behind her. Look at that father made helpless and hurt that he cud not defend his seed. Don't debate. Don't insert your agenda. Save me the bullshit Black On Black Crime speech and look at these to Noble creatures called humans and look at what govt sanctioned murder has done. It has robbed them of their humanity and replaced it with pain and shame, suffering and hurt.

I don't care if others rioted or why. I don't care that ball players and Rappers are what they shud be. I care that we as humans care as much about one another more. I care we see past Class, race and culture and honor the humanity that unites our species. Stop talking and LOOK at these PEOPLE. LOOK at these HUMANS and stand with them against a system allows a Human PIG to slaughter their child. Forgive any typos love and respect u all."

Killer Mike, who also moonlights as a barber and an actor, is expected to release a follow up to 2012's R.A.P. Music this year.