Jay-Z calls for justice for George Floyd: "This is just a first step"
Jay-Z has released a powerful statement calling for justice for George Floyd.
The rapper is one of the many notable names in music and entertainment to have expressed outrage over Floyd’s death while in police custody in Minneapolis last week (May 25). Former police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
After calling Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Saturday (May 30) to further amplify the calls for justice for Floyd, Jay-Z issued a statement on Roc Nation in the early hours of this morning (June 1) to further elaborate on his “very earnest conversation” with Walz and thank him for calling in Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to lead Floyd’s case.
“Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me — a dad and a black man in pain,” the rapper wrote. “Yes, I am human, a father and a black man in pain and I am not the only one.
“Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law.”
Saying that this was “just a first step”, Jay-Z added: “I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have.
“I prevail on every politician, prosecutor, and officer in the country to have the courage to do what is right. Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters, and mothers in pain. And look at yourselves.”
Over the weekend, Beyoncé added her voice to the calls for justice for Floyd in an Instagram video in which she said: “We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight. We’re broken and we’re disgusted. We cannot normalise this pain.”
