During various events on both sides of the Atlantic this weekend, stars from the music world performed some of their best-loved songs in dedication for shot teenager Trayvon Martin.
The shooting of Martin, a 17-year old US high-school student, has made global headlines over the past fortnight due to the acquittal of charges for neighbourhood watch shooter George Zimmerman. The case has attracted furore due to the racist-nature of the event, where Zimmerman shot Martin in a matter of ‘self defence’, even though it was confirmed the teenager was in fact NOT carrying a weapon.
Last night, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake performed a rendition of the former’s hit Forever Young as the closing number of the New York leg of the duo’s Legends Of The Summer tour.
Jay Z asked the crowd to “…. put a cell phone and light it up … let’s light the sky for Trayvon Martin tonight in here.”
During the Nashville leg of her Mrs Carter World Tour, Jay Z’s wife Beyonce interrupted her concert for an impromptu rendition of I Will Always Love You, which followed a moment of silence, after hearing the news of Zimmerman’s acquittal.
Meanwhile on UK shores, alternative hip-hop group Jurassic 5 paid homage to 17-year old Martin by dedicating their performance of Freedom at Victoria Park’s Lovebox festival.
In a surprise move earlier today, US president Barack Obama surprised the world by speaking publicly about the subject of race, primarily related to the Zimmerman/Martin case. In his first public press conference since the judge’s dramatic verdict, Obama said “Trayvon Martin could have been me, 35 years ago”.
Mr Obama spoke candidly about racial profiling, erring to the side that few are yet to actually experience 100% equality.
Of the case, President Obama said “That all contributes to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different…. When Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me, 35 years ago.”
On race perceptions, the President continued by saying “There are very few African-Americans who haven’t had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she has a chance to get off,”
