Waka Flocka has a simple explanation for why no one should tell him or anyone else how to respond to the flag during the national anthem. While stopping by “Ebro In the Morning,” the rapper was asked about the current state of affairs in America.
And his response may surprise some.
“Even kneeling to that flag,” he says Wednesday, Oct. 11. “I have no African descendant in my blood. I’m a Native American. Literally, I’m a Cherokee, I’m a Black Foot, I’m a Red Tail Indian — that’s what’s in my blood. And the other is mixed with European. And for somebody to sit here and tell me not to kneel, you’re crazy.”
The rapper added that most Black Americans are not African and wondered when athletes would get respect for exercising their first amendment rights. He also seemed to take issue with Jerry Jones‘ statement that players who “are disrespecting the flag” won’t play.
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“I’m your player, this is something I put sweat in and sweat out,” he says. “If it wasn’t for us, we won’t have a team, we won’t have fans. When is it gon’ come a time that these players are respected? Even [Colin] Kaepernick. For shawty to kneel down, bro. That’s deep, that’s deep. That ain’t got nothin’ to do with ‘Black Power.’ At the end of the day, he’s talkin’ human rights.”
Aside from Kaepernick, who launched the protest against Black oppression last season, suspended ESPN host Jemele Hill also has Waka’s support. The “SportsCenter” anchor was temporarily relieved of her duties after tweeting that NFL fans can boycott the Dallas Cowboys’ advertisers.
“That s— made me delete my ESPN app,” Waka says. “That s— made me go to [Xfinity] and unsubscribe. That s— is foul. That’s crazy, bro.”
