Trending Topics

Ava DuVernay Accuses Kanye West and R. Kelly of Using ‘Racial Terrorism’ For Personal Gain

Ava DuVernay Kanye R Kelly Lynching

Instagram

In recent days, R. Kelly has compared the Time’s Up movement coming after him for  sexual misconduct allegations to an “attempted lynching,” and Kanye West has been posting lynching imagery after he offended many by saying that slavery was a choice.

Since then, many have said they no longer want anything to do with both men, and the latest person to state that is Ava DuVernay, who’s part of the Time’s Up Women of Color organization. In fact, the famed director said Kelly and West using the term “lynching” to respond to backlash disrespects those who’ve been killed.

“I’ve had it with Kanye West and R. Kelly using the imagery of lynching as rebuttals [in response] to their dastardly behavior,” wrote DuVernay, who also listed some of the names of Black people who’ve been lynched throughout history. “Evoking racial terrorism and murder for personal gain/blame is stratospheric in is audacity and ignorance. This is what lynching looked like. How dare they?”

“Shame on you Kanye West and R. Kelly,” she continued. “If you want to have a real conversation about lynching, get at me. Until then, have some respect and dignity for the dead, the murdered. You’ve gone beyond embarrassing yourselves. You’re both in territory that you don’t really want to be in.”

The famed director continued to express just how irresponsible their words and social media posts really were.

“According to @MemPeaceJustice, more than 4,000 Black men, women and children were hung/lynched between 1877 and 1950,” she wrote. Kanye West and R. Kelly are using their heinous murders in tweets and press statements. Using our ancestors’ pain as punchlines.”

You can see some responses to DuVernay’s tweet below.

Back to top