Rapper “Killer Mike” Render broke down Friday as he gave an impassioned speech to the people in his home city of Atlanta, Georgia, amid violent protests.
Protests and riots sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis, spread to Atlanta and other cities across the country following the circulation of a viral video. That video showed former police officer Derek Chauvin placing his knee on Floyd’s neck, refusing to let up even as Floyd protested that he was unable to breathe.
Render joined Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in addressing his city, begging them to keep their message pure and their protests peaceful. (RELATED: Mayor Scolds Atlanta Rioters: ‘When Dr. King Was Assassinated, We Didn’t Do This To Our City’)
WATCH:
Drop everything and watch Killer Mike’s speech in Atlanta tonight. I don’t agree with him on all of his politics, but that doesn’t matter tonight. He’s 100% right about how to handle protesting and how to change the system… and it isn’t burning your city to the ground. pic.twitter.com/VzDNMTM0wH
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) May 30, 2020
The rapper’s speech began with his own history — as the son and cousin of police officers — and Atlanta’s rich history of brave black police officers who served the community they loved even when other officers on their own force wouldn’t allow them to change clothes in the same building.
“I am duty bound to be here to simply say that it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy. It is your duty to be a house of refuge during times of organization,” he said, adding, “I’m mad as hell. I woke up yesterday wanting to see the world burn because I’m tired of seeing black men die.”
Render went on to describe what he felt while watching the video of Floyd’s death, adding, “We watch it like murder porn, over and over again. So that’s why children are burning to the ground — they don’t know what else to do. It is the responsibility of us to make this better. Right now. We don’t want to see one officer charged. We want to see four officers prosecuted and sentenced.”
“After you burn down your own home, what do you have left?” he asked, noting that over 50 restaurants in Atlanta were owned by black women and calling on his city to be better.
Mentioning the vandalism that had struck CNN headquarters, the rapper added, “I’d like to say to CNN right now… karma’s a mother. Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Stop making people feel so fearful, give them hope.”
WATCH Killer Mike on riots at CNN: “I’d like to say to CNN right now… karma’s a mother. Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Stop making people feel so fearful, give them hope…”
I agree with him 100% pic.twitter.com/XUUGMOrupp
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) May 30, 2020
Render concluded by taking aim at President Donald Trump, saying, “we don’t need a dumbass president repeating what segregationists said, ‘When you start looting, we start shooting.’ The problem is that some officers are black and they shoot back, and that’s not good for our community either.'”