After Civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson tweeted about talking to Daniel Caesar, the Canadian singer who angered a lot of people when he said Black folks are too sensitive and mean to white people, Caesar finally apologized.
“I apologize for how I expressed my idea because that is where I went wrong. I believe in what I said and as a man I need to admit when he is wrong. I can admit when I am wrong,” he said.
He then continued to share why no one around him checked him for his comments.
“It was a tyrannical rant. Because a tyrant doesn’t have people around checking him,” he continued. “And my friends, when we disagree on something we check each other. But we agreed in that sentiment…but we feel so strongly about it that we didn’t realize how harsh we were coming off.”
But fans weren’t feeling it.
“I’m over this apology culture as well, he doesn’t mean it & he def said he didn’t care if he lost money. Now that he’s lost some dollars & he cam see how effective black ppl are he wants to apologize”
“I dont want to hear a “please like me again” apology. I want to see proof that he is/has since educated himself about the subjects he spoke on when he didn’t know SHIT.”
“This is no apology.”
Caesar was sticking up for social media influencer YesJulz at the time after she was accused of being a cultural appropriator. YesJulz, who’s white, received another layer of backlash when she was on the “Easily Offended” podcast and defended a tweet she wrote asking if she was allowed to wear a shirt that said “N—-s lie a lot” in response to an old beau that wronged her.
DeRay Mckesson (L) said he spoke with Daniel Caesar (R) after the singer said black people are too sensitive. (Photo: Getty Images, Gregg DeGuire / Emma McIntyre)
YesJulz also slammed former Hot 97 host Scottie Beam, as well as marketing strategist Karen Civil, who are both Black women. She accused them of trying to block her from hosting Miami’s Rolling Loud hip-hop festival, which they both deny doing.
As for Caesar, his troubles began when he came to YesJulz’s defense, who’s his friend.
“Why is that we’re allowed to be disrespectful and rude to everybody else, and when anybody returns any type of energy to us, that’s not equality,” he said. “I don’t want to be treated like I can’t take a joke.”
“White people have been mean to us in the past, yeah,” he added. “But what are you going to do about it? … Are we on top of society? We’re not. You can’t win the game by choosing to not accept the winning team’s strategy.”
Caesar then got pummeled with backlash prompting him to respond.
“This is a losing battle not worth fighting,” he wrote on Thursday. “So I’m gunna shut up from now on but I DO NOT APOLOGIZE Cuz you guys didn’t convince me.”
On Thursday, Mckesson said that he had a conversation with the 23-year-old and that his comments came from sheer ignorance but he’s learning.
“I spoke w/ Daniel Caesar yesterday morning for a few hours as I was troubled by many of his statements from the IG video,” tweeted Mckesson on Thursday. “In the end, it is clear that he’s learning & growing re: understanding *systemic* racism & has more work to do. & he has begun to do that work.”
“We had a frank convo about how his statements disappointed many, reinforced a set of beliefs that did not aid the work of racial equity, & highlighted opportunities to learn,” the activist added. “We were both pushed in the convo & it was good. I look forward to seeing him continue to reflect/grow.”
