.@KillerMike addresses the incident in which two black men were arrested while waiting in a Starbucks. @JoyAnnReid asks, “Do you think that encouraging black people to carry endangers black people’s lives?” #AMJoy pic.twitter.com/3OEQ3Dh06I
— AM Joy w/Joy Reid (@amjoyshow) April 15, 2018
After the airing of a controversial interview with the National Rifle Association last month, rapper Killer Mike faced severe backlash for speaking out in favor of gun ownership while blasting the student-led March for Our Lives campaign against gun violence.
Mike has since apologized, saying the video was “used in the wrong way.” Now, the rapper says he is looking to have a meaningful discussion about the importance of gun ownership among African-Americans.
On Sunday, Mike faced MSNBC’s Joy Reid for the first time since their social media spat and apologized again for his remarks where he slammed the journalist for what he perceived as her vocal support for embattled clothing store H&M. Their dialogue soon turned to the NRA, who Reid accused of targeting her in one of its past campaigns.
“When an organization that’s all about guns starts tweeting out, we’re watching you, I take that as a threat honestly,” she said, later asking the rapper, “…Do you recognize sort of the sense that a lot of us out here have that the NRA is actually low-key threatening, particularly to people of color?”
Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, responded by saying, “I think that we have been threatened as people of color since we were brought here.”
“For me as deplorable as acts that I’ve seen on both sides, people who are pro and not pro guns, my bigger conversation, Joy, is the conversation that we are having about where do African-Americans fit in that,” the activist added. “I am sorry that that happened to you. I am sorry that I get death threats and have to walk around with a body guard … But I feel better that I live in a republic where people only 54 years into freedom are now allowed to protect their Second Amendment right and protect [themselves] as need to be.”
Reid also took time to ask Mike his thoughts on the recent arrest of two Black men at a Starbucks in Philadelphia over the weekend, an incident that has since sparked calls for a boycott of the popular coffee chain. The two men, who were are real estate agents, said they were waiting on a friend at the coffee shop when one of the employees called the police on them for “trespassing.”
“I’m going to tell you what struck me about that video,” Mike said. “White people stood up and immediately were allies, thank you guys for that. But the black men are to be congratulated and saluted. They showed themselves dignified, regaled in that arrest. They actually kept the situation calm by not raising voice, by not hiding hands.”
Despite Mike and Reid moving beyond their spat, fans were none too pleased he was invited or his response to the aforementioned question.
Killer Mike ducked and dodged your questions. He's the NRA shill I knew he was!#fraud
— Danielle Harr (@freespirit74) April 15, 2018
Is Killer Mike saying while the men in Starbucks were in the cop's crosshairs just cuz they were black,they weren't ultimately shot cuz of "respectability politics"-cuz they stayed calm & deferential "to the man" & he's proud of them for that? Victim blaming others who were shot?
— (((antiantisemite))) (@Tristanshouts) April 15, 2018
He can’t even answer the damn question. Sounding like one of 45’s puppets
— stayinyourlaneBECKY (@stayinurlaneBec) April 15, 2018
Thankfully, some were willing to give Mike a second chance.
Loving that Joy took the high road after "HM Gate" & gave #KillerMike a huge platform on #AMJoy to explain why he let the NRA use him. He made some decent points BUT that explanation I was waiting on never came-maybe he can spit a "Hot 16" about it later. #AllGlocksDown #Reiders pic.twitter.com/gkd7mfuBFP
— Lena J. (@CARTOONSByLenaJ) April 15, 2018
I give him credit for appearing on AMJoy & apologizing. As well as, he speaks well & he is no dummy. Other than that his beliefs seems 2 be a little scattered. In USA we have the right 2 agree or disagree. It is also important 2 see the entire picture of an issue before you act.
— #MarchAgainstFascism @GOP Fascist Party (@Jacq4Peace) April 15, 2018
Watch more of their discussion below.
