In the wake of the release of Beyoncé’s song, Reformation and her Superbowl 50 performance, first there was the failed Anti-Beyoncé Rally outside the NFL New York offices and now Florida police departments are pushing to boycott working security at venues hosting her sold-out shows. The Miami chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police recently voted to deny security services at Beyoncé’s April 26 show at Marlins Stadium.
Well even the boycott won’t stop the show because the Nation of Islam announced they got the singer’s back.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke on the controversy regarding Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance and Kendrick Lamar’s powerful 2016 Grammy performance. Minister Farrakhan’s comments were delivered Feb. 21, 2016 in Detroit, MI. at the Nation of Islam’s Saviours’ Day Convention and can be seen in the video below.
According to Lt. Javier Ortiz, the national police union are encouraging local law enforcement officers in Dade County to refrain from signing up to work the event in an open letter posted on their website. Ortiz says the reason for the boycott stems from Beyoncé’s use of “this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her anti-police message.
Minister Louis Farrakhan addressed more than 14,000 Nation of Islam followers inside Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on NOI’s Saviours’ Day this weekend about an array of issues, including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani’s attack on Beyoncé’s controversial Super Bowl performance of “Formation” and police unions threatening to boycott working at her upcoming “Formation World Tour.”
The Houston-bred songstress was dressed in all black garb during her Super Bowl performance, paying homage to the 50 anniversary of Black Panthers as her dancers formed an “X” on the Bay-Area football field near where the Black Panthers were founded, likely a salute to civil rights leader Malcolm X.
Since Bey’s performance of “Formation,” police unions across America have threatened to boycott her concert when her “Formation World Tour” comes to their city because some believe the track to be anti-police.
“She started talking that Black stuff and White folks say, ‘Well, we don’t know how to deal with that,” Minister Farrakhan says at the convention Sunday. “Well, you taught us everywhere we went about the Holocaust, but we have sympathy for you. But when one of us shows some independence, look at how you’re treating Beyoncé now. You’re going to picket. You’re not going to offer her police protection. But the FOI will.”
Kendrick Lamar’s “Controversial” Grammy Performance
Minister Farrakhan also sends praises to 5x Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar for setting a new standard after his powerful Grammy performance.
“He freed rappers to come on up,” the 82-year old NOI leader says. “He’s the boss. He’s the boss. Now when the rappers are free to say it like it is and say what they feel and teach their people through music and Rap and song and dance, the cultural revolution is on.”
Farrakhan further encourages the Hip Hop community to say what they feel and that they have the full support and protection of the NOI.
Kendrick Lamar took the stage at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards to perform a medley of records from his To Pimp A Butterfly album. Check out his performance of “Alright,” “The Blacker the Berry,” and the debut of “Untitled 3.”
Black Westchester
Black Westchester - News With The Black Point Of View is an online news magazine for people of color for Westchester and the Tri- State area of New York at every economic level. Our mission is to promote the concept of “community” through media.
