(AllHipHop News) Rapper YG has taken critics of his political activism to task online after leading thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters through the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday.
The “Big Bank” star joined forces with officials at social and racial justice organizations Black Lives Matter L.A. and BLD PWR to stage the peaceful demonstration in Hollywood, five days after having to cancel a similar event over safety concerns for participants.
As huge crowds gathered on Sunday, YG took the opportunity to use the march as the backdrop for his new music video, filming footage for his new protest song, “F##k The Police (FTP).”
However, it appears that led some social media users to question the authenticity of YG’s activism, prompting the rapper to fire back in a lengthy post online on Monday.
Alongside video footage of the protest on Instagram, he wrote, “For anyone out there talking I don’t question your advocacy and don’t think you should question mine.
See you gotta understand that a lot of people out there they see me as a N. They don’t see the black proud man. They see a kid from bompton and they expect violence. They hear FTP & they think I’m gonna come and burn my city. So we showed up and did it right. We proved them wrong
— yg (@YG) June 8, 2020
“See you gotta understand that a lot of people out there they see me as a N##ga. They don’t see the black proud man. They see a kid from Bompton (nickname for Compton, California) and they expect violence. They hear ‘FTP’ and they think I’m gonna come and burn my city. So we showed up and did it right. We proved them wrong.”
The real story here is me and Black Lives Matter brought out 50,000 people today to peacefully protest and unite for change.
— yg (@YG) June 8, 2020
YG went on to insist the “real story” was the thousands who took to the streets to “peacefully protest and unite for change”, as he defended his decision to film his promo at the event.
“I wanted to document that so when they hear this song and think we are reckless and violent they see a peaceful protest of all different people coming together for a common cause,” he wrote. “That is history. That is breaking down these stereotypes on our people and our neighborhoods.”
“All of us protesting are on the same side here..instead of questioning each other’s activism we should be directing that energy at the cops and the government and helping to create the change we want to see. Stay focused and stop that social media judgment without knowing facts and hurting a cause we all a part of. We got a real enemy and it ain’t each other. On my momma!”
Stay focused & stop that social media judgement without knowing facts & hurting a cause we all is apart of. We got a real enemy and it ain’t eachother!
— yg (@YG) June 8, 2020