Race

feature: the weeknd sets an example for all mainstream artists as he donates $250,000 to black lives matter

August 11, 2016

This just in: The Weekndhas donated $250,000 to the Black Lives Matter movement- and it is shocking that people are so shocked.

An avid supporter of the BLM movement on Twitter, Abel Tesafaye is doing what any woke person would; supporting the cause by which we are all effected.

In a medium so saturated with the effects and influences of Black lives, it would seem almost custom for those with great status to back the movement for equality, right? Wrong. It may come as a surprise, but many of todays greatest stars choose to stray away from politics,- avoid it even- simply proceeding to profit off of the gains Black culture has provided. Not to name any names in particular, it is the all too familiar climate of the music industry for artists to want to ‘preserve’ and ‘protect’ their image; not wanting to dampen their popularity on any front, and leaving the protestors to do ‘their job’ while benefiting from the effects. 

It is a true mark of courage for an artist to risk their career in support of what they believe in.

Showcasing his humanity as well as his social consciousness, The Weeknd, and others like him, add a new layer to the movement, as they use their status to elevate it closer to the level it desperately needs to reach.

A-list should not equal neutral, because in the greater scheme of things, all ‘neutral’ really means is ‘removed’ and we have no time for removal. The Weeknd sets an example for his fellow A-listers by donating his money, time, and fame to the Black Lives Matter movement, and hopefully, his actions can influence not only his public, but those at the top with him.

By Cree B. McClellan, AFROPUNK contributor

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