Updated March 20th, 2021 at 22:49 IST
Justin Bieber profiting from Martin Luther King Jr's speech? Activist's daughter says THIS
Beginning with the late civil rights icon's most famous quotes, ustin Bieber has also credited Martin Luther King Jr as a 'songwriter' on his album.
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Hours after delivering his sixth studio album Justice, pop-star Justin Bieber was embroiled in controversy over his track- "MLK Interlude" which contained snippets of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's sermon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1967. Not only this, beginning with the late civil rights icon's most famous quotes-- “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," Justin Bieber has also credited King as a 'songwriter' on his album.
This did not seem to sit well with fans for the 'odd' placement of the civil-right martyrdom's words amid the otherwise overtly romantic album on love and relationships, which Justin has said has taken inspiration from his marriage with Hailey Rhode Bieber. Some even accused him of 'profiting' from the civil rights movement as a 'white man.'
However, amid the fire, Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr's daughter has come out in support of Bieber talking about how artists and entertainers could do something for King Center, a social justice organization she heads, in their own ways.
Each of us, including artists and entertainers, can do something.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing)
Thank you, @justinbieber, for your support, in honor of #Justice, of @TheKingCenter’s work and of our #BeLove campaign, which is a part of our global movement for justice. #MLK #EndRacism https://t.co/nTkR1XdcvW
Meanwhile, trouble did not seem to end for Bieber after French band-- Justice sent a cease and desist letter to him claiming that he had illegally used their trademarked font for his album's name. Bieber's album cover features the word Justice with an accentuated T that looks like a crucifix, allegedly the point of contention.
Netizens react
me when I heard the start of justin’s album with a Martin Luther King speech excerpt pic.twitter.com/idmF3TJMwI
— matty (@luvmeland)
Justin Bieber has an “MLK Interlude” on his album. Then, an 80’s inspired pop song about dying for love comes on next. pic.twitter.com/11uBfJVGb3
— RacismSummitBookingAgent (@KirkWrites79)
justin bieber profiting off of the civil rights movement as a white man is weird. his album is called ‘justice’ and has an MLK interlude but speaks nowhere of social justice, and is focused on love & relationships... huh?
— aly (@herestokesha)
why did I just start the first track of Justin’s album and it’s the voice of MARTIN LUTHER KING??? pic.twitter.com/eQqiljQhFX
— ire ola ✨ (@ire__ola)
Justice consists of 16 songs with the last five of them being released on March 19 at midnight. The album features collaborations with several other notable artists like Khalid, Chance the Rapper, the Kid Laroi, Dominic Fike, Daniel Caesar, Giveon, Beam, Burna Boy, Benny Blanco, and TroyBoi.
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Published March 20th, 2021 at 22:49 IST