Beyoncé, Drake and Other Celebrities Condemn Police Violence and Racism
The deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile from police officers' bullets this week inspired criticism and calls to end state violence and racism against Black communities. Many of those calls came from prominent Black celebrities, including those who are typically silent on social justice issues.
Click the link in my bio to go to Beyonce.com. Turn our anger into action.
A photo posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Jul 7, 2016 at 12:42pm PDT
Some artists, like Beyoncé, built on themes already central to their art. The "Lemonade" creator posted a call to action on her website and encouarged fans to pressure their legislators and politicians to act:
We're going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent action by those who are sworn to protect us should consistently go unpunished.
These robberies of lives make us feel helpless and hopeless, but we have to believe that we are fighting for the rights of the next generation, for the next young men and women who believe in good.
JAY Z "spiritual" https://t.co/FxIqTUAEQg pic.twitter.com/syE18CioNM
— TIDAL (@TIDALHiFi) July 8, 2016
Jay-Z followed his wife's lead and released a new single, "Spiritual," addressing similar issues. "No, I'm not poison, just a boy from the hood that/got my hands in the air, in despair, don't shoot," he raps on the track, which he released exclusively on Tidal with statement above.
Myriad other rappers, singers, actors, comedians and performers spoke out in their own posts and statements. Some, like Drake and The Weeknd, addressed this topic publicly for the first time:
A photo posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Jul 6, 2016 at 5:50pm PDT
enough is enough. it's time to stand up for this. we can either sit and watch, or do something about it. the time is now. #blacklivesmatter
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 7, 2016
A photo posted by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on Jul 6, 2016 at 6:44pm PDT
I can't wake up to another innocent black man gone. Police reform NOW. Please @potus. #blacklivesmatter #howmanymore #PhilandoCastille
— Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) July 7, 2016
lynchings were public to keep a class system based on race intact in the Jim Crow south. Public Executions by Police 2day do the same.
— Killer Mike (@KillerMike) July 7, 2016
We should not have to jump through hoops to prove black people shouldn't be shot by police during routine traffic stops.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) July 7, 2016
How many more times must this happen for us to matter? How many more must we lose?
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) July 6, 2016
BLACK. LIVES. MATTER. #AltonSterling
If Black Americans are asked to "get over slavery," seems only fair American cops get over an "overseer mentality" that sees us as a threat.
— Wyatt Cenac (@wyattcenac) July 7, 2016
Larry Wilmore discusses #AltonSterling. https://t.co/5rsCc1vDiH pic.twitter.com/wuRIywvtDS
— The Nightly Show (@nightlyshow) July 7, 2016
Maybe police departments should ask aspiring cops "are you generally afraid of black people?" before they put them on the force.
— Sasheer Zamata (@thesheertruth) July 7, 2016
Did we miss any meaningful tweets or posts? Let us know in the coments.
(H/t Essence, The Independent, Okayplayer, Glamour)