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Artists including Ariana Grande, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg urged fans to “get out and vote” on ‘Blackout Tuesday’ yesterday (June 2) on a day when a number of America’s presidential primaries were held.
The artists urged fans to vote in the primaries that took place yesterday in the District of Columbia, New Mexico, Iowa, South Dakota and Montana. Rescheduled votes were also taking place in Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island after they were initially postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Roots’ Questlove apologised to fans for taking a pause in ‘Blackout Tuesday’ — a music industry initiative which saw a social media blackout in the wake of the death of George Floyd — before reminding people to vote as protests across America continued.
In the wake of Floyd’s death protests have erupted across the US and all over the world, while a large number of well-known artists have expressed outrage over his death in Minneapolis last week (May 25). Former police officer Derek Chauvin has since been sacked and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Acknowledging “Primary Tuesday”, Questlove went on to say: “I don’t even have to remind you to stay safe on all levels (it’s gonna be tricky for me for a lot of the chaos in philly is occurring right in front of where I vote) not to mention people we are STILL in a pandemic with a virus that did NOT go away.
”——please take time to visit the platforms of the candidates running for o Congress/House (if you haven’t already) make sound, informed decisions. Go out there (be safe) and vote. Thank you.“We still have to practice social distancing. They want YOU to be discouraged in this process today.
“Today is NOT the day to be ‘meh this ain’t November so’ – please take time to visit the platforms of the candidates running for o Congress/House (if you haven’t already) make sound, informed decisions. Go out there (be safe) and vote.”
Ariana Grande added: “Nine states have primary elections on June 2. if u live in one of these states, please take things one step further by voting out the corrupt officials (not just the president) that are encouraging systematic racism and discrimination.”
speechless…
nine states have primary elections on june 2nd.
if u live in one of these states, please take things one step further by voting out the corrupt officials (not just the president) that are encouraging systematic racism and discrimination. https://t.co/FtxrFwOxIN pic.twitter.com/BvakqJFfg4— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) June 2, 2020
You can see more posts from the likes of Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg below.
Meanwhile, Run The Jewels’ Killer Mike has expanded on his recent acclaimed speech about the wave of protests that have spread across the US in the wake of Floyd’s death.
“We have to be better than burning down our own homes because if we lose Atlanta, what else we got?” the rapper said in a widely praised televised address he gave on Saturday (May 30) in which he condemned those protests in Atlanta that descended into violence.
“It is your duty to not 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 organisation. And now is the time to plot, plan, strategise, organise, and mobilise.”
Earlier today, Adele also added her voice to the artists calling for justice for Floyd.
“George Floyd’s murder has sent shockwaves around the world, there are countless others that haven’t,” the singer wrote on Instagram Protests and marches are happening all over the globe simultaneously and only gaining momentum.”
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