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Yesterday, we shared the thoughts Samaria Rice had about Tamika Mallory reciting a poem at the Grammy’s during Lil Baby’s performance. She claimed that Mallory hadn’t lost anything in the fight against police brutality. She shared that Mallory was using the movement and the pain of Black families to promote her own personal brand and gain money and attention for herself.
It’s a criticism many Black activists have heard before.
Rice’s comments didn’t go unheard.
Rapper Chika happened to catch wind of them and she said that Rice is right to be concerned. In a series of tweets she shared her own experiences working with celebrities in a Black Lives Matter chat.
“I had to divest from the BLM celebrity group chat last summer bc when I voiced disgust that they’d allowed YG to turn a march and vigil for Breonna Taylor into a concert/music video, nobody wanted to admit it was wrong. I don’t trust it, I’m sorry. She’s right.”
Chika was clear that the group wasn’t titled celebrity BLM chat. And she did state that a majority of the people were there with pure intentions. Still, she shared that there was a problem in the leadership.
“The message of the original tweet is that once I peeped that BLM’s leaders didn’t value or respect the lives of the fallen, it made sense that we were being used as pawns. I called it out and left immediately. Celebs weren’t the ones profiting. BLM did.”
Another Twitter user shared specifically that it was the BLM LA chapter specifically that was attempting to exploit celebrity.
Chika shared since leaving the organization, she’s been connected with other people who are doing actual work.
She said you can determine whether an organization is serious about their proclaimed cause by the way they handle valid criticism from its members.
Rapper No Name, who is aligned with more radical ideals like anticapitalism etc. and is doing the work in educating people with her book club, supplying reading materials to those who are incarcerated and more chimed in with her perspective.
“I understand why a private chat could be useful but celebs aren’t the main ones followed/terrorized by the state. It’s organizers on the ground that are disappeared and murdered. I think critique of celebs AND BLM is necessary. Folks need to organziat in tandem with community…which both celebs + BLM leaders refuse to do. This is an example to all of us interested in movement work. As celebs we need to take our cue from the people most impacted, not BLM spokespeople. Grateful Chika shared her experience. Hope this encourages folks to join radical groups.”
Well, there you have it. The plot thickens. No person or organization is above reproach. And we can certainly credit Black Lives Matter for raising awareness about police brutality on a global scale. Still, the test of the organization will lie in how they respond and correct some of the concerns which have been raised by Samaria Rice, Mike Brown Sr. and now Chika.
