Last night, rapper and activist Killer Mike joined protesters and gave a speech at the Atlanta Mayor’s Press Conference.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Atlanta and major cities across the US in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless victims of police brutality. Killer Mike joined T.I., and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in delivering emotional pleas to discourage protesters from burning the city in riot.
“I don’t want to be here,” the rapper began his speech. “I’m the son of an Atlanta city police officer, my cousin is a police officer… I got a lot of love and respect for police officers down to the original eight [Black] police officers in Atlanta that, even after becoming police, had to dress in a YMCA because white officers didn’t want to get dressed with ni**ers. And here we are, 80 years later and I watched a white officer assassinate a Black man and I know that tore your heart out. I know it’s crippling and I have nothing positive to say in this moment because I don’t want to be here.”
Killer Mike implored ATLiens not to vandalize out of protest but to support systematic change otherwise. “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. And now is the time to plot, plan, strategize, organize, and mobilize.”
T.I. shared a similar message, saying, “Atlanta has been here for us, this city don’t deserve that. I understand that a lot of others do, but we can’t do this here, this is Wakanda. It’s sacred. It must be protected.”
Watch their emotional speeches below.