Jay-Z and his Roc Nation label are teaming up with preeminent attorneys and activists to take out a full-page spread on newspapers nationwide in honor of thousands of African Americans who have lost their lives to police brutality.
According to BET, the Instagram caption was dedicated to George Floyd —a black man who was murdered last week by a white cop—with hashtag #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd.” It also includes a passage from Martin Luther King Jr’s speech following his 1965 march to Selma, Alabama.
“So we’re going to stand up amid horses. We’re going to stand up right here, amid the belly-clubs. We’re going to stand up right here amid police dogs, if they have them,” the ad reads, quoting King. “We’re going to stand up amid tear gas! We’re going to stand up amid anything they can muster up, letting the world know that we are determined to be free!”
The letter is signed by the mogul himself as well as the parents of slain black men Botham Jean, DJ Henry, and Antwon Rose II. It is also signed by Charlamagne Tha God, Van Jones, Angela Rye, Floyd’s family lawyer, and many organizations like Until Freedom and REFORM Alliance.
BET reports, the ad appeared nationwide on Tuesday’s newspaper editions of several high-profile companies such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Denver Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Austin American Statement, The Orlando Sentinel and The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
A representative for the rapper told CNN that more ads will be published on Wednesday, June 3rd 2020 as well.
It has been a week since Floyd tragically passed away and the cop has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The four other police officers involved in his murder were also arrested.