Despite several media reports, Chance the Rapper hopped on Twitter Tuesday afternoon to clarify he will not be at ESPN's forthcoming town hall forum to discuss race relations and celebrities' responsibility to speak out on issues.
"I saw some publications report that I'll be at the @espn forum about athletes' and celebrities' responsibility to speak on issues. Not true," the Chicago rapper wrote.
Chance didn't drop the topic there, but instead decided to use the opportunity to reveal exactly what he thinks about "responsibility" and the state of race relations in this country. "It is the responsibility of all media outlets to correctly label all killings by 1st responders as what they are: Murders," he wrote before addressing the prevalence of police brutality. "It is the responsibility of all first responders to deescalate unlawful situations and restore peace without committing murder."
Police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement have taken center stage as the country's most pressing issue at a time when innocent, unarmed lives are continually taken at the hands of police. Following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, Tex. that resulted in five police officers being shot and killed, Chance teamed up with Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and other celebrities to create a powerful video about ending police violence.
Chance ended his tweets by letting fans know he has no beef whatsoever with ESPN for the report circulating the web and noted that neither camp is aware who started the rumor. You can read all of Chance's tweets below.
I saw some publications report that I'll be at the @espn forum about athletes' and celebrities' responsibility to speak on issues. Not true.
@espn but since I won't be there let me just say a few thoughts on "responsibility".
@espn it is the responsibility of our court systems to fully represent & work for The People in all cases of Murder
@espn it is the responsibility of all media outlets to correctly label all killings by 1st responders as what they are: Murders.
@espn it is the responsibility of all first responders to deescalate unlawful situations and restore peace without committing murder.
@espn and it is the responsibility of athletes and celebrities to say all that out loud whether at a forum, on twitter or at work.
I have no issues wit @espn neither one of us seem to know who sent out a press release saying I'd be at that forum pic.twitter.com/bae6Y2Nk0w
