After the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin ruling two weeks back, many artist have come out of the woodwork to protest the state of Florida over a reason that no one truly knows. Whether it’s the ruling (just for those that are not familiar, Zimmerman was found not guilty) or the actual “Stand Your Ground” law, artist were rumored to be protesting the state (you read right, the state, not just that particular city).
Word got around yesterday through the Huffington Post that artists such as Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, The Rolling Stones and many more would be staying clear from Florida due to the verdict outcome. The Monday after the verdict, Stevie Wonder had come out saying that he would not be entering the state of Florida for anything as a protest. Today, it turns out, many of the representatives are coming to the defense of their performers saying that their clients had never heard of or been contacted about the list.
American Urban Radio Network’s White House correspondent April Ryan first reported the list, claiming that she had gotten the information from credible “sources close to the Stevie Wonder camp.” The Huffington Post had said that they were at the time trying to contact the artists’ representatives even though they had posted the list. At the time, the only representative that had gotten back to them was Rihanna’s who revealed that she was not involved. MotherJones got word that The Rolling Stones had not even heard about the campaign.
When doubt started to reach an all time high, Ryan released a statement on her website where she explains that she got a ext in the middle of the night from someone who were “in support of Stevie.” Her statement could be seen below:
I obtained from multiple sources early Monday a list of artists and entertainers who my sources told me had committed to a boycott of Florida following the George Zimmerman acquittal. Since publishing that list I have heard from several representatives of the artists named who say, on behalf of their clients, they are uncomfortable being identified on that list and are seeking additional information.
Additional representatives have come out to debunk that their clients, who were on the list, were even aware that their names had been put on the list of protesters, which begs the question, if Ryan didn’t put this list together then who did?
Supposedly protests not only those mentioned above, but also
- Mary Mary
- Eddie Levert
- Rod Stewart
- Madonna
- Usher
- Pattie Labelle
- Kanye West
- Mary J
- Trey Songz
- R. Kelly
- Alicia Keys
- Joe
- Will I AM
- Keyshia Cole
- Young Jeezy
- Erykah Badu
- Wale
- Frankie Beverly
- Parliament
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