The American Music Awards were held in Florida =and an artist took a chance by speaking up on the Trayvon Martin case, but they were not black artist. Doesn’t this figure?
What happened to our entertainers? They use to be the enlightened crowd among us that stood up for what was right, just. They were activist and leaders of our communities and dreams. But today, they are much different. They seem to be the ones leading us to our destruction. And they seem to have no principals that will not be silenced with a few zeros on another check.
While these millionaires celebrated and the world watched, it took Macklemore and Ryan Lewis to make a stand and speak out on the plague on the black community.
From MSNBC: While accepting an award for favorite rap/hip-hop album, Macklemore quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., before speaking out about slain Florida teen, Trayvon Martin.
“Due to the fact that we are in Florida tonight accepting this award, I want to acknowledge Trayvon Martin and the hundreds and hundreds of kids each year that are dying due to racial profiling and the violence that follows it,” Macklemore, whose given name is Ben Haggarty, said. “This is really happening. These are our friends, our neighbors, our peers, and our fans, and it’s time that we look out for the youth and fight against racism and the laws that protect it.”
http://www.msnbc.com/politicsnation/macklemore-ryan-lewis-honor-trayvon-martin
Mad props to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis for having principals and balls to stand by what they believe to be right, regardless of the backlash. We need more artist willing to stand up and be independent thinkers and leaders in our society since we pay so much time and attention on them anyway.
And boo to you black entertainers. Here is another stone cast that reminds us you don’t give a damn about the rest of the black community. You have gotten yours and it was all because of your “hard work” and “effort”, not the backs of the millions who have died and sacrificed for you to have these opportunities.
You act as if you have no obligation to your community and people.
WRONG.
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UPDATE: 1:18pm CST
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There has been some backlash to this article on the Facebook page. Some are saying this isn’t true and many of our artist have spoke out about the Trayvon Martin case. They are calling these people activist.
Child Please!
You cannot be quiet your ENTIRE CAREER, then make one small, little PEEEP and become an activist. Sure Jamie Fox, Jay Z and a few others spoke up at the time of the Trayvon Martin case when the cameras were rolling and the publicity was popping.
However, who is still speaking up? Yep, the white boy.
Y’all need to quit putting these modern day clowns in the same category of activist with the likes of Jim Brown, Harry Belafonte, or Muhammad Ali. These people spoke up more than ONCE and even damaged their careers and dollars in the process.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!
Are you kidding me? The AMA’s imbeded projected future demographics by displaying a categorical cover screen by selecting two so-called ‘white boys’ as ‘the best’ in Rap/Hip Hop – who sent a ‘shout out’ to Trayvon Martin (not to mention Justin Timberlake winning best R&B/Soul artist – tacky racially profiled by a white woman comment) … Historically many Music Artist, Actors and Educators constantly speak out against brutality and rasism but rarely get Corporate Controlled Media air time … Let’s refocus and ask where was McLemore and JT when African American bloggers and journalist were trying to get mass media attention when Trayvon Martin was murdered … It’s only entertainment and they are only entertainers … ‘White, Black, Puerto Rican – Everybody just a freakin – Good times were rolling’ (All due respect to the real music by real musicians) … right? Lift Every Voice and Sing …
If you’re going to write an article on “urbanintellectuals.com”, is proper grammar, and spelling, too much to ask for?