Kelly Rowland received massive backlash from fans on Tuesday, Nov. 9, for appearing to be tone-deaf after revealing her son Titan Weatherspoon’s birthday party theme.
Rowland, whose son turned seven last week, commemorated his special day by throwing a LEGO police-themed party. The adverse reactions are because of the mainstream attention police officers have received within the previous year following the brutal murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
In the Instagram post, Rowland shared pictures from the event, including an image with her and Weatherspoon in front of a decorated police station. Another photo showcased her two sons, Titan and 10-month-old Noah Weatherspoon, wearing matching police uniforms. In addition to the snapshots, the singer also uploaded videos displaying the table decorations.
As Rowland’s followers began to view her upload, music producer The-Dream voiced his opinion about the event in her comments section. He wrote, “Refreshing to see this face in a Police Uniform.” Rowland immediately shot back that the party was her son’s idea.
She said, “This theme was all HIS idea!” Although the tone behind The-Dream’s remark remains unclear, that didn’t stop other people from placing their own opinions about the party. Some expressed that the theme shouldn’t be taken so seriously because it was a party for a 7-year-old, while others condemned Rowland for even allowing it.
“Not Kelly Rowland giving her son [a] police-themed birthday party. Sis…read the room.”
“Kelly Rowland threw her son a police-themed bday party… I’m telling Beyoncé on her.”
“Not Kelly Rowland having a police-theme party for her son.”
“He’s a kid. Man, can we let kids develop their decisions? Indoctrinating kids isn’t it.”
“Aww, this is awesome to see. Aspire to be the change is what I always say.”
In the past during an interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” Rowland opened up about the effects that George Floyd’s death had on her life. Floyd was an African-American man murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after he pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.
The incident followed a store clerk calling police after accusing Floyd of paying for an item using a counterfeit $20 bill. His cause of death was later determined to be “asphyxiation from sustained pressure” following an independent autopsy result arranged by Floyd’s family. His death ultimately led to massive protests around the country.
Rowland told the news outlet in 2020, “I can’t sit still. I’m angry. I’m hurt, at times feeling hopeless. But then sometimes I look at my son and I’m like, ‘hell no.’ I gotta keep going and what do I need to do?”
She added, “[I’m] feeling for the families that have to go through all this. Communities, all their emotions, [it] just makes me angry. There’s so many things I’m feeling, like everyone else.”
