Before Big Boi, Travis Scott and Gladys Knight received criticism for performing at Super Bowl XXXIII, Jermaine Dupri caught some backlash for producing a series of concerts for the game.
Plus, he’s the only one who met with the mothers of victims to discuss police brutality and to explain his involvement with the NFL, after it seems the league has locked out Colin Kaepernick for protesting that very issue.
The SoSo Def founder posted a video of himself attending the meeting, but didn’t disclose the location. He also explained the mothers requested the sit-down and did so after inviting the women to one of his events to discuss the police killing their children.
One mother, Monteria Robinson, said her son Jamarion was shot over 70 times while sitting in his girlfriend’s living room and suggested the police lied by saying he engaged them in a shootout. Through a private investigator, the mother learned that her son was actually shot in both palms of his hands and received more shots when he was already lying on the floor.
Another mother, Felecia Thomas, said police killed her son Nicholas at work, and she questioned why Jermaine would even associate himself with the NFL.
“Take a knee is the biggest protest since the ’60s, and you’re crossing that picket line,” she said. “And no amount of money J.D., does not matter, because it’s blood money. You’re not in the Mercedes-Benz [Stadium], the white man has you outside Mercedes-Benz.”
Dupri, seemingly offended, shot back and said he gave the mothers opportunity to raise awareness at his event, and said they had misinformation about the money he received.
“I’m making money to do what I do as an entertainer. But the platform that you’re asking for and the platform that she just asked for before you spoke, is to let people hear what you’re saying,” he explained.
He then dismissed claims from the group that he invited them to a concert and not somewhere else to discuss their children.
In the comment section of the video, a lot of folks praised J.D. for meeting with the group, while others were a little confused about what was actually accomplished.
