Fantasia, Anthony Hamilton React to Backlash Over ‘All Lives Matter’ Concert

By Kenrya Rankin Sep 26, 2016

As protesters continue to fight against police violence in the streets of Charlotte, it seems that some people to bring another message to the city: “All lives matter.” The now-postponed show titled “Hear Me Now! All Lives Matter,” was supposed to happen yesterday (September 25) in the city’s Romare Bearden Park. The name of the show prompted backlash online.

The top billed stars, Fantasia and Anthony Hamilton, had very different responses to the controversy. Watch them below, then tell us who you agree with.

The tweet refers to this article, published on The Root, in which he writes:

Some of the greatest leaders of our time promoted peaceful resistance. I would never deny the value of peace, but people feel that they are under attack and that nobody hears or respects their demonstrations. The unrest in Charlotte, N.C., after the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott is a product of people simply being exhausted. They are sick and they are tired. Our communities lack hope, and their backs are against the wall. They are constantly reminded that White privilege is alive and well.

Fantasia’s nine-minute response takes on a different perspective and suggests that the North Carolina-based singer has been instrumental in producing the show:

“I understand that our people are still in poverty and we’re not getting certain things that we deserve. I understand that, but the only way we’re going to get it is not through tearing up buildings,” she says in the Facebook video above. “Two thousand years ago, Jesus ended the debate on which lives matter. He died for all us. All of us. Martin Luther King stood for love and unity for all people. United we stand, divided we fall. Let’s all stand together. Together. So Black lives matter, yes they do. All lives matter. Like [my husband] said, our grandson is biracial, my nieces and my nephews are biracial. Do their lives not matter?”

Her husband, Kendall Taylor, also spoke extensively during the video, saying that he’s “looking for real men to stand up, who call themselves soldiers … I’m looking for those men to stand up. I’m looking for those women supporting those men to encourage them and watch those kids, don’t give him a hard time, let him come out here and fight for something greater than his bill and living paycheck to paycheck.”

In the video, Fantasia also says the show will be rescheduled for this coming week.