Picture this. It’s 2005 and Lil Wayne is beginning to blossom as one of the biggest rappers of the 2000s. Then Hurricane Katrina hits and destroys Louisiana in ways that many of us still can’t comprehend.
The government seems to be no help. The superstar takes to the booth to vent over what’s happening in his hometown, and releases a heartfelt, triumphant track called “Georgia Bush,” where the superstar lights into the Bush administration:
Hurricane Katrina, we should’ve called it Hurricane (Georgia) Bush
Then they telling y’all lies on the news
The white people smiling like everything cool
But I know people that died in that pool
I know people that died in them schools
Now what is the survivor to do?
Fast forward to 2016. On the heels of us celebrating his contribution to one of the Blackest albums of the year, now the rapper has people talking again but it’s not about his music.
During the teaser clip released by “Nightline,” ABC News reporter Linsey Davis asked the New Orleans rapper if he felt connected to the Black Lives Matter movement. And much like his eccentric personality, Wayne had an unconventional answer to the question.
“What is it? What do you mean?” he asked before launching into a slightly incoherent rant.
“It just sounds weird. I don’t know that you put a name on…it’s not a name; it’s not ‘whatever, whatever.’ It’s somebody got shot by a policeman for a f—-d up reason. I’m a young, Black, right m—-r f—-r. If that don’t let you know that America understand that Black m—-r f—-rs matter these days, I don’t know what is.
That white man; he filming me. I’m a n—a. I don’t know what you mean, man. Don’t come at me with that dumb sh–t, ma’am. My life matter. My life matter, especially to my b—-es.”
When he asked if he felt connected to the movement to protest police brutality, Wayne doubled down on his anti-Black Lives Matter rhetoric. Watch below.
Lil Wayne says he doesn’t feel connected to Black Lives Matter movement. Watch tonight on Nightline at 12:35am ET. pic.twitter.com/28eBGfpSja
— Nightline (@Nightline) November 2, 2016
What happened?! What are your thoughts on his criticism?
