
Audio By Carbonatix
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Jay-Z are speaking out about a phone call they had over the weekend to discuss the death of George Floyd and where to go from here.
Walz, a Democrat, was the first to discuss their call in an interview with CNN affiliate WCCO and said Jay-Z told him, "Justice needs to be served here."
"It was so incredibly human," Walz said of conversation. "It wasn't Jay-Z international celebrity, it was a dad and, quite honestly, a black man with visceral pain that he knew."
Jay-Z has been outspoken over the course of his career about racism in America. He's also an advocate for prison reform, founding the REFORM Alliance.
Following his call with Walz, Jay-Z released a statement on the REFORM Alliance's Twitter account.
"After our earnest conversation, thank you to Governor Walz for doing what's right and calling in Attorney General Keith Ellison to take over the George Floyd case. Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me. A dad and a black man in pain. Yes, I am human, a father and a black man in pain and I am not the only one. Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law."
#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd @GovTimWalz pic.twitter.com/0606dwrbzt
— REFORM Alliance (@REFORM) June 1, 2020
Jay-Z added, "This is just a first step. I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have. I prevail on every politician, prosecutor and office in the country to have the courage to do what is right. Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves."
Jay-Z's wife, Beyoncé, took to Instagram over the weekend to call on her fans to sign multiple petitions seeking justice for Floyd.
Latest Stories
-
Bawumia commends Amin Adam for visionary Masjid Al Noor project in Tamale
2 minutes -
Flood-related death toll could rise amid possible disease outbreak — Susan Adu-Amankwah warns
17 minutes -
Xenophobia: South Africa must use civilised means to remove illegal migrants – Inusa Fuseini
18 minutes -
NADMO to begin relief distribution to flood victims today
18 minutes -
Using indiscipline to excuse leadership failure is unacceptable – Miracles Aboagye fires back over flood blame debate
23 minutes -
Expedite constitutional review – Inusah Fuseini urges Mahama to allow election of MMDCEs
30 minutes -
“I lost everything… the house is empty” – Dennis Miracles Aboagye recounts flood ordeal
31 minutes -
Everybody has failed – Susan Adu-Amankwah blames decades of leadership for recurring floods
47 minutes -
NDC threatens NPP’s popularity and dominance – Paul Afoko warns
1 hour -
Goaso residents criticise Health Minister for skipping municipal hospital during Ahafo visit
1 hour -
Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo: Why the Supreme Court okayed ex-Chief Justice’s removal process (Full Judgment)
2 hours -
ISSER urges government to triple sanitation investment to tackle flooding and disease
2 hours -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses Accra floods and the dismissal of Justice Torkonoo’s case
2 hours -
Sylvester Tetteh pledges to strengthen NPP structures ahead of 2028
2 hours -
British Council advocates language-responsive education to improve learning outcomes
3 hours