As the protests around the country continued to rage in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, Run the Jewels rapper Killer Mike delivered an impassioned plea to protestors in Atlanta.
While the city’s downtown became engulfed in protests that turned violent, the rapper, who was speaking aside Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms who urged them to go home, opened by saying he didn’t want or be there, but as the son of a police officer, how things haven’t changed in 80 years.
“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 fortify your own house, so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization,” he said.
He continued, saying that he’s tired of seeing black men dying and graphic from there.
“I’m mad as hell. I woke up wanting to see the world burn down,” he said. “I’m tired of seeing black men die. He casually put his knee on a human being’s neck for nine minutes as he died like a zebra in the clutch of a lion’s jaw, and we watch it like murder porn, over and over again. That’s why children are burning things to the ground — they don’t know what else to do.”
A few days ago, Killer Mike wrote an op-ed about why minorities need to exercise their Second Amendment rights to bear arms. He has been a staunch supporter of Bernie Sanders as well.
Watch his entire speech below.
