- The 'Happy' singer says the Ferguson, Missouri teen was acting 'bully-ish' before he was shot dead by a white police officer in August
- However, Pharrell adds that he's 'troubled' grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson on any charges in the fatal shooting
Pharrell
Williams, one of the biggest black figures in the music industry, has
spoken out about the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, saying he is
'troubled' a grand jury decided not to indict the white police officer
responsible.
But the 'Happy' singer also sparked heated debate by calling Brown's behavior leading up to his August 9 death 'bully-ish'.
Before
he was shot dead, Brown was caught on surveillance camera stealing a
handful of cigarillos from a convenience store in Ferguson, Missouri,
and intimidating the shop owner.
While
Pharrell says that was no excuse for Officer Darren Wilson to use
lethal force against the unarmed teen, he thinks Brown's actions are
being overlooking in the national discussion about the tragedy.
'It looked very bully-ish; that in itself I had a problem with,' Pharrell 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?'
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Controversy:
In a recent interview, music producer and singer Pharrell Williams
(left) called police shooting victim Michael Brown's behavior leading up
to his death 'bully-ish'. The caused heated debate online
Intimidating: Police released this
surveillance camera footage, reportedly showing Michael Brown grabbing a
convenience store owner shortly before he was stopped by Officer Darren
Wilson and eventually shot dead
'The
boy was walking in the middle of the street when the police supposedly
told him to “get the f*** on the sidewalk.” If you don’t listen to that,
after just having pushed a storeowner, you’re asking for trouble,' he
added.
However,
Pharrell said that Brown's behavior in the convenience store did not
warrant his death, and that he believes Officer Wilson should have been
charged in the death.
After the story was published on Tuesday, Twitter was flooded with comments calling out Pharrell's interview.
One
Twitter user said: 'Mike Brown was a bully says Pharrell Williams. So
do we get a pass to shoot bullies in society? Way to go Pharrell.'
This isn't the first time that singer has started controversy over his opinions on race issues.
In
an interview with Oprah last year, Pharrell angered some when he said
'the new black doesn't blame others races for our issues'.
Pharrell
seemed hesitant to talk about race in the interview with the
African-American monthly, saying: 'I don’t talk about race since it
takes a very open mind to hear my view, because my view is the sky view.
But I’m very troubled by what happened in Ferguson, Missouri.'
However,
he felt the need to weigh in on the current situation in the
predominantly-black St Louis suburb, believing 'the hangover from
Ferguson is going to be a long one, worse than Trayvon Martin'.
No consequences: In the same interview
with Ebony magazine, Pharrell said he was troubled that the man
responsible for Brown's death, Officer Darren Wilson (pictured), will
not face trial for the shooting
Anger: The grand jury decision not to
indict Wilson on any charges related to Brown's death sparked violence
between protesters and police in Ferguson, Missouri Monday night
Trayvon
Martin was another unarmed black teen, 17, who was shot dead two years
ago near to where he lived in Sanford, Florida, by a man who thought he
was a burglar.
Shooter George Zimmerman was controversially acquitted on any charges in the teen's death.
While
his comments sparked a debate online, it's clear that Pharrell feels a
strong connection to the current situation in Ferguson, Missouri, where
protesters turned violent after hearing the grand jury's decision Monday
night.
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