Stormzy encourages the UK not to ignore U.S. police violence
LONDON -- British rapper Stormzy has shared an impassioned message on social media imploring people in the UK not to ignore the killings of black people by police in the U.S.
In Instagram and Facebook posts on Friday, shared after five police officers were shot and killed in Dallas, Stormzy called for people in the UK to take action.
"All I can do is urge everyone to do more, that's what I'm going to do. Protest, march, donate, speak out, call out bullshit, build within your community, help those in need etc.," he said.
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"And don't be the stupid idiot who thinks because we live in the UK that this isn't an issue for us to take on, don't be the stupid idiot who thinks because we live in the UK that black people don't experience racism from the police, don't be so flipping naive," he said.
The grime artist, who is prolific on Twitter, has also been tweeting messages over the last two days about the killings by police of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
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On Friday he explained his motivations for speaking out.
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Here's the full text of his post:
I wish I had the answers to solve the fuckery that's going on right now but tbh I don't have a clue...all I can do is urge everyone to do more, that's what I'm gonna do. Protest, march, donate, speak out, call out bullshit, build within your community, help those in need etc. whatever it is that needs to be done. And don't be the stupid idiot who thinks because we live in the UK that this isn't an issue for us to take on, don't be the stupid idiot who thinks because we live in the UK that black people don't experience racism from the police, don't be so flipping naive. We have black brothers and sisters dying in the states and we'd be cowards to just brush it off, this is all of our problems. That could easily be me or my lil brother or my sisters, I ain't waiting for this poisonous, weak, racist, trigger happy mentality to spread around the world before we do something. Stop killing my fucking people smh, I won't even lie, when the first series of police killing black people sprung up I thought smh this is fucked and had a passive attitude towards it but as times gone on you have to just think...are these racist Feds just gonna wake up everyday and kill innocent black people? Like yeah...today...I'm gonna kill a black kid and get away with it lol...you've lost your fucking mind mate. We ain't having it anymore, fuck that. This isn't a black vs white thing either, don't let them twang you into thinking it's that, but what I will say is that no one should be sitting back and watching this. If you choose to turn a blind eye to this you're a part of the problem, regardless of your skin colour. This isn't me speaking out because it looks politically correct or because it's the right thing to do coz I proper couldn't give a flying fuck tbh. this is coming from Michael a black man who has had enough of racist dickheads thinking they can wake up and kill my people. You can't, we ain't having it no more. Do your bit. Enough is enough mate, I ain't waiting till a fed kills one of my bredrins before I rise up. And please stop thinking this is a strictly American thing you dumb fucks, Feds have been violating the mandem for YEARS. Smh.
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Topics Music
Liza Hearon was the Deputy Editor for Mashable UK. Liza started her career in journalism writing about punk bands for a 'zine in Florida, and her wanderlust has led her to work for news organisations in Russia, Japan and now London. Prior to joining Mashable, she was the European homepage editor for the Wall Street Journal. Liza loves podcasts, karaoke and really, really spicy food.
