Gary Miller/Getty ImagesKid Rock has announced that he’s not renewing his licensing agreement for his Made in Detroit restaurant, located in the Motor City’s Little Caesars Arena. The news follows his controversial, profane rant about Oprah Winfrey last week.
“I appreciate all who have patronized our place and still have much love for the City of Detroit and the people/organizations that I have helped there for years, black, white, whatever, but learned long ago, go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated,” Rock writes in a Facebook comment.
According to TMZ, Rock, who was born in Romeo, Michigan, took the stage at his Honky Tonk bar in Nashville, and directed multiple vulgar comments at Winfrey, as well fellow talk show hosts Joy Behar and Kathie Lee Gifford. In video obtained by the gossip site, you can hear people in the bar talk about how drunk Rock is. The musician was reportedly removed from the stage by security.
Billboard reports that, prior to the news of the Made in Detroit restaurant’s closing, the Michigan chapter of the Al Sharpton-founded civil rights organization National Action Network, or NAN, had planned a protest outside the establishment.
In 2017, NAN protested Rock’s six-show residency at Little Caesars Arena, which opened the venue, over his past use of the Confederate flag during shows.
“I may be guilty of being a loud mouth jerk at times,” Rock writes in his post. “But trying to label me racist is a joke, and actually only does a disservice to the black community, which I have supported my entire life, by trying to alienate myself and many others.”
In a subsequent post, Rock writes that the controversy has inspired him to write a new record and tour in 2021.
“You haters better be shaking in your boots,” he warns.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
