In the wake of George Floyd’s death, Killer Mike delivered an impassioned speech at the Atlanta mayor’s press conference on Friday night (May 29), pleading with his hometown to stop destroying their own city.
Eminem, who just hours before resurrected the Revival track “Untouchable” to encourage people to “speak up” against police brutality, caught the Run The Jewels MC’s speech and evidently felt moved to support him.
On Saturday (May 30), Shady tweeted a Rolling Stone article about Mike’s speech and wrote in the caption, “I’m with @killermike on this one. Incredibly well done.”
I’m with @killermike on this one. Incredibly well done. https://t.co/zeTQYqyk9H
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) May 31, 2020
Mike joined T.I., Dr. Bernice King and Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms during the conference as riots and protests erupted across the United States. He began his speech with tears in his eyes and explained the frustrating positions he’s in as both a black man and the son of an Atlanta police officer.
“I got a lot of love and respect for police officers down to the original eight police officers in Atlanta that even after becoming police, had to dress in a YMCA because white officers didn’t want to get dressed with n*ggers,” he said. “Here we are 80 years later, I watched a white officer assassinate a black man and I know that tore your heart out. I have nothing positive to say in this moment, because I don’t want to be here.”
Killer Mike Tears Up Addressing Atlanta Riots: ‘It’s Your Duty Not To Burn Your Own House Down’
He continued, “I am duty-bound to be here to simply say it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy. It is your duty to fortify your own house, so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization. And now is the time to plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize.”
Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on Monday (May 25) shortly after MPD officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on the 46-year-old’s neck for roughly nine minutes. He was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center.
Chavuin was ultimately fired, arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The civil unrest in the U.S. has continued for the past three days and shows no signs of slowing down. The three other officers involved in the incident remain free.
Revisit Mike’s speech below.