Singer Pharrell Williams recently gave his take on the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown and the fact that the officer responsible for Brown’s death would not be indicted.
Williams, 41, angered many and sparked a very heated debate when he said that Brown was acting ‘bully-ish’ moments before his death on August 9.
Just before his death Brown was caught on surveillance camera stealing a handful of cigarillos from a convenience store and intimidating the shop owner in Ferguson, Missouri, Daily Mail reports.
Williams believes that those actions by Brown should be referenced in the national discussion of the tragedy that has sparked riots all over the world. However, Williams made it clear that Brown’s actions were no excuse for Officer Darren Wilson to use lethal force on Brown, who was unarmed.
“It looked very bully-ish; that in itself I had a problem with,” Brown told Ebony magazine. “Not with the kid, but with whatever happened in his life for him to arrive at a place where that behavior is OK. Why aren't we talking about that?”
Williams then went on to say that by disobeying the police, Brown was asking for trouble, but he also believes that Officer Wilson should have been charged for the death of Brown.
“I believe that Ferguson officer should be punished and serve time. He used excessive force on a human being who was merely a child. He was a baby, man,” Williams said.
“The boy was walking in the middle of the street when the police supposedly told him to “get the f**k on the sidewalk.” If you don’t listen to that, after just having pushed a storeowner, you’re asking for trouble,” Williams added. “But you’re not asking to be killed. Some of these youth feel hunted and preyed upon, and that’s why that officer needs to be punished.”
Williams also sent out a tweet about the announcement that Officer Wilson would not be indicted. “I'm heartbroken over the news of no indictment in Ferguson. Let's all pray for peace,” Williams tweeted Monday.
The “Happy” singer also referenced Bill Cosby’s 2004 “Pound Cake” speech, The Independent notes.
In the speech, Cosby says that the black community should no longer blame discrimination and racism as the root of their problem; parenting needs to be improved as well as responsibility and a better attitude instilled in young black people, according to The Independent.
“When Cosby said it back then, I understood; I got it,” Williams added.
Despite all the anger Williams may have sparked, his hope was that people would understand that he was coming from a good place.
“For every individual who gets killed, someone should build a school or teach a child. We really need to balance things with positivity. Look, I could be completely wrong. People may read this and think, ‘What is he talking about? Williams said. All I can tell you is that I mean this from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that people know I’m coming from a good place.”
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