ABC/Image Group LAThe music industry has swiftly condemned the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer was videotaped kneeling on his neck during his May 25 arrest. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with murder and manslaughter.
The video has sparked nationwide protests against police brutality. Many musicians have voiced their support of the Black Lives Matter movement and called for change.
Asking Alexandria‘s Ben Bruce: “I haven’t said anything about what’s going on in the states at the moment in regards to the riots etc…not due to a lack of caring…more so because the inexcusable, disgusting, racist behavior and actions that have plagued the nation have simple left me at a loss for words. People say to me ‘you’re not American so it doesn’t concern you’ but the fact is it’s not just an American problem…it’s a hUMAN problem. We need to treat each other with love, respect and compassion. We are all equals. We all love, hurt, feel, breath the same…I just can’t understand how racism is still such a huge problem…it’s not enough at this point to just not be racist…we have to beat this. We have to end racism. It’s a sad time in history…but it’s a necessary time in history…maybe 2020 can be the year that they teach future generations about as the year that racism was beaten. We are all in this together.”
Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello: “Attention: bands, solo artists, poets! Best jam called #AvengeFloyd I will play on my @SIRIUSXM Lithium #OneManRevolution show. Write. Send.”
Bad Religion‘s Brett Gurewitz: “I condemn the murder of George Floyd. I condemn the president for sowing hate and divisiveness. I stand with the protesters and my brothers and sisters in the black community. Black lives matter. RT if you feel the same.”
Black Veil Brides‘ Andy Biersack: “Theres no justification for the senseless & brutal killing of George Floyd & it’s truly heartbreaking to see that something this egregious continues to happen in our country. So many live without the promise of justice, peace and equality & that’s not acceptable. We must change.”
Billie Eilish shared a lengthy message on Instagram, criticizing people who use the phrase “All Lives Matter” in response to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, writing, “IF ALL LIVES MATTER WHY ARE BLACK PEOPLE KILLED FOR JUST BEING BLACK?”
“WHY ARE IMMIGRANTS PERSECUTED? WHY ARE WHITE PEOPLE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES THAT PEOPLE OF OTHER RACES AREN’T?… WE HAVE TO ADDRESS HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF OPPRESSION OF BLACK PEOPLE, she continued.”
Evanescence‘s Amy Lee: “I am angry, horrified, ashamed and have been trying to put my thoughts into words all day. Evil abuses of power and murder in the streets…
A president who calls a press conference in the middle of a nationwide outcry, only to try and change the subject and not even MENTION the murder of George Floyd and the immeasurable injustices that came before it, on top of his threatening, racist tweet. My blood boils…
This is what I want to say: Your voices are not unheard. We are grieving with you and this is not ok”
Falling in Reverse‘s Ronnie Radke: “you’re ancestors weren’t enslaved and sold, and your family members weren’t targeted and killed. You have no right to say what’s a proper way of handling something. Cops are to protect and serve. if they don’t protect us you get rioting. something has to change. Anyway necessary.”
Green Day: “Say his name. Demand Justice. Donate.#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter”
Guns N’ Roses‘ Duff Mckagan: “Well..this cop on Black racism has to stop…but we’ve known this forever. I’m more and more stunned and sickened when I hear of this stuff continuously happening. I am not a black man..so I can’t even pretend to understand what it’s like….but even MORE, I can’t understand what it’s like to be a racist white dips***. I don’t get it. I will never ‘get’ it. Thankfully, I grew up different. Police training and vetting of new and old officers has to change radically. For starters…Peace to all of us.”
Halestorm‘s Lzzy Hale: “Love is the only thing that negates hate. The time is now! #change”
Kiss‘s Paul Stanley: “I’m disgusted and demoralized by the recent videos and incidents of blatant bigotry, racial profiling ad what clearly appears to be the cold blooded murder of a black man. The sense of fear, targeting and lack of justice for perpetrators that is a ever ending part of daily life for black people is beyond my ability to imagine. When an armed mob of white people can storm a government building without repercussions or consequences it takes little imagination to foresee the outcome of that same scenario if the crowd had been black. Too many have lost focus on what is illegal and become completely blind to what is immoral. We have to be better than that.”
Korn: ““If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” – Desmond Tutu
We stand for justice and equality for all. Enough is enough.”
Lamb of God‘s Mark Morton: “Trying to stay in a space of Gratitude and Mindfulness….but it’s really f****** difficult today. I don’t even recognize my own country anymore.”
Neck Deep: It is 2020 and police officers are killing people in public, in broad daylight, because they are black. We stand against any and all injustice and we stand with #GeorgeFloyd
Sign this petition: https://change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd…
Donate to the following: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate“
New Years Day‘s Ash Costello: “It’s hard to know what to say or how to say it. Im just trying to do what I can in anyway to help.
I have a heavy heart today for my brothers and sisters in pain. #BlackLivesMatter
black lives f****** matter!”
Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Flea: “The world will be in a good place when I can chill and listen to Biz Markie do Albee Square Mall without thinking about how badly my fellow humans are suffering.”
Sammy Hagar: “Why would anyone kill innocent people and take it out on the whole race, the whole society we are living in because of a bad guy? A bad cop, a bad black man, a bad white man, a bad Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, South American — what’s the difference? Why would you take it out on the whole human race — people with families and children that are innocent? There are bad guys everywhere, every walk of life. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Stop the violence. Stop racism. Prejudice. Please”
Sleeping With Sirens‘ Kellin Quinn: “I can’t believe that another innocent man is killed.. and that this keeps happening.. Justice for George Floyd.. #ICantBreathe”
SWMRS: “A thread. just trying to retweet people who need their voices elevated right now. We obviously have strong strong feelings of everything going on rn, and we have a long way to go as a society when it comes to equality and justice. But this whole situation is so f***** up.”
Testament’s Alex Skolnick: “Honestly, I don’t see how we can. In 2 wks alone, we’ve watched 2 black men die on film. #GeorgeFloyd – who had the cops called for suspicion of a bad check (a bad check?!) – choked to death in plain view of witnesses.Also yesterday (same day): a revolting woman in my city makes a fake “damsel in distress” emergency call to NYPD, in mock tears..”An African-American man is threatening me!!” when simply asked to leash her dog (yes those ARE the rules in this particular area of the park). He (#ChristianCooper) has expressed regret over the scale of backlash against her but she’s undeserving of his decency after her dog & pony show (her dog, visibly abused, has been taken away, thankfully) & she’s earned all the resulting fallout, imo. This is all in the shadow of jogger #AhmaudArbery, gunned down by non-cops, which led to a cover-up by authorities. Not on film: EMT #BreonnaTaylor, shot dead by police raiding the WRONG HOUSE. This is all in JUST 2 WEEKS. No one is saying “all cops are bad,” or “all white people are bad.” Don’t twist words. All that’s being said is: THIS IS NOT OK.”
Twisted Sister‘s Dee Snider: “Thanks for sharing this. My dad was a state trooper for 27 years (then moved to the courts as a peace officer). He never shot or killed anybody. There are a LOT of great cops out there who want to do the right thing…but the minority that are pieces of s*** cause a lot of pain.”
Vernon Reid: “I’m not gonna lie-this situation is disheartening, rage inducing. Depressing. It is a time to be honest It is a time to not be intimidated. It is a time to make your voice heard. It is a time to ask your son how HE is feeling, how he is experiencing these events. It is a time”
Whitesnake‘s David Coverdale: “Hey, Beloveds…I can’t dig into the light hearted stuff tonight…I’m sure you’ve seen or heard of the riots throughout the US…truly dark, tragic days…I send our love to you & yours, wherever you are & we’ve wish you well in all things…XXX”
Whitesnake: “Good Morning, All…Very restless night, as you can imagine…Profound sadness with everything that we are All experiencing, everywhere…I truly hope we can remember we need each other now & a sense of community more than ever… XXX”
By Megan Stone
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