(AllHipHop News) Black Eyed Peas rap star will.I.am experienced turbulence on a flight in Australia, but the bumpy ride had nothing to do with the air pressure.
The 44-year-old rapper was in town to perform at the “Friday Jams” Festival in Auckland.
Things were going smooth for will.I.am until he boarded a Qantas flight from Brisbane en route to Sydney.
That’s when he came across an angry flight attendant, who abused him for not closing his laptop fast enough while he was making some beats.
I’m currently on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant…
I don’t want to believe she racist.
But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
The rap star said he wearing noise-canceling headphones and could not hear the flight attendant’s repeated requests over the plane’s PA system.
Will.I.am claims he was the victim of racism after the beef escalated to the point that the cops had to be called to diffuse the situation when the plane landed.
This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying @qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant named Lorraine Marshall…She sent the police after me bacause I couldn’t hear the P.A while making beats on the plane wearing noise canceling headphones… pic.twitter.com/9xT7WqTUoO
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
In the end, no one was charged but will.I.am decided to offer up his brand of justice on social media.
He put the flight attendant and the policeman on blast, in a series of tweets exposing their identities to his 12 million followers.
Many people offered up words of support, but the rapper is also responding to a backlash for playing the race card when he did not reply to multiple requests to put away his laptop.
https://twitter.com/trentster/status/1195569645601771520
I’m sorry? Is callin the police on a passenger for not hearing he P.A due to wearing noise canceling headphones appropriate? If didn’t put away my laptop “in a rapid 2min time” I’d understand. I did comply quickly & politely, only to be greeted by police. I think I was targeted https://t.co/8WVIuMKXJa
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I wasn’t ignoring the safety briefing…& I was paying attention…I put on my headphones 20min into the flight..:thanks… https://t.co/lPpIVQe9aO
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
No one said she was a white supremest… I said she singled every person of colourbin the flight and gave them a hard time…and went to the extreme of calling the police on me when I did nothing wrong…other passengers on the flight agreed that she was out of hand… https://t.co/fyh6DUb9F8
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I was intimidated by 5 police officers when I landed…for what? 🤷🏿♂️ I put away my laptop when she asked…why would she feel threatened by me to call the police? What did I do wrong? I wasn’t out of hand.. I was polite & did what she asked… now you’re asking me to take abuse? https://t.co/1390ThymY3
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
🤦🏿♂️…now you’re assuming I vmhace violent fans…🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️…this isn’t Gotham…you are watching to many movies… have a good day…I wish you the best… https://t.co/JrdBZMextr
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I will do that…I don’t wish any harm to anyone…I just everyone to be respected and treated with dignity… the last thing I want is for someone to be in harms way… thanks for the advice… and thank you for trying to see it from the side of the passengers that felt targeted https://t.co/nreiQFnKIL
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019