When HipHopDX spoke with Killer Mike recently [click here] he gave us such a detailed, in-depth interview that unfortunately we weren’t able to print our entire hour-long conversation.
One of the topics of discussion that didn’t make into our feature was in regards to a white supremacist organization, known as the Nationalist Movement, and their plans to march in Jena, Louisiana on Monday January 21st, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“Like I said, ‘If you Aryan nation, fuck Hitler,’” begins Killer Mike, referencing his lyrics on “Bad Day Worst Day.” “Let me tell you something, man, them white boys feel as though they alienated, they feel as though nobody gives a damn about them, but they’re just being manipulated by old, bitter white men. It’s all in the movie American History X. The same thing happens when young gang members are manipulated by old, bitter black and brown men. So my thing is, I hope they do march on Dr. Martin Luther King Day, because these shiftless Negroes around here in their big fuckin’ cars and big fuckin’ houses act as though this shit isn’t real anymore. They think y’all won’t, so thank you Aryans for letting us know that we’re still considered niggers. Maybe now we’ll take less time arguing over who’s right, David Banner or Al Sharpton, and we’ll spend more time unifying around resisting against a common enemy.”
The Learned, Mississippi based group is planning to hold what they are referring to as a “Jena Justice Day” in opposition to the MLK holiday and the Jena 6. The so-called “Nationalists” will march on Monday from the local courthouse to Jena High School and back, and then begin making speeches in front of the courthouse.
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Local law enforcement officials in Jena have released a statement opposing the rally. “To anyone who is considering coming to Jena on January 21 either to support the Nationalist Movement rally or to oppose it, we say, ‘Please don’t,“‘ the statement reads. “The healing process is under way here. Causing more strife only hurts us all.”
Nationalist spokesman Richard Barrett remains unmoved by the city’s plea that his group not bring their hateful message to Jena. Barrett and his organization are adamant about coming to Jena after the city demanded that the “Nationalists” post a $10,000 bond to hold the rally, which subsequently led to a successful lawsuit being brought by the group against the city in federal court. Barrett has also said in previous statements that while not encouraging their members and supporters to be armed at the rally, the “Nationalists” maintain they have the constitutional right to bring firearms to Monday’s march if they so choose.
Hundreds of people are expected to be in Jena voicing their opposition to the white supremacist group. The January 21st Committee [click here], along with members of Louisiana’s National Action Network and others will be in Jena blowing whistles, ringing bells, and using other noisemakers in an attempt to drown out the “Nationalists” hateful message.
While that approach to combating the group’s hate from being heard may prove effective, Killer Mike hopes that whatever the method used by those opposing the march it remains a sensible one, something he addressed when our conversation turned to the much-publicized Myspace pics of one of the Jena 6, Robert Bailey, Jr., with a mouth full of money, and the attire two of the other members of the Jena 6, Bryant Purvis and Carwin Jones, were dressed in when they attended last October’s BET Hip Hop Awards. “Don’t you dare point those boys out and say that they shuckin’ and jivin’,” Mike begins, “and say that somehow they don’t appreciate what happened, if you driving in your Lexus and going to your $250,000 house. Don’t you dare, because they’re living by the examples you’re setting. And I ain’t talking about the rappers, I’m talking about the black working and middle-class. Y’all went down there, y’all protested, y’all did that, but I remember watching CNN when those white boys drove by with those nooses on the truck all the protestors started singing [ “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”], ‘Na, na, na, na,’ and I thought to myself how silly and just foolish. I’m thinking to myself, This is the song you choose to sing? That’s what showed me, ya’ll didn’t go down there for freedom, y’all went for a muthafuckin’ barbeque. So how are those boys and their actions any more silly than that? They coulda sang “Fight The Power.” They coulda sang “White Manz World” by Tupac. There’s a lot of shit that they coulda sang, and instead chose to sing some shit they play at fuckin’ halftime at basketball and baseball games. Your children are products of you.”
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Mike, who has continually shown his support for the Jena 6, even participating in the Jena 6 Empowerment Concert in Birmingham, Alabama back in September, believes a more sacrificial display of opposition than song singing and bell ringing was needed from the very beginning of the Jena 6 saga. “This gonna be controversial,” he begins, “Michael Bell shoulda stayed in prison. Someone shoulda sat down with him and said, Son, you’re about to make the sacrifice of your life. We gonna get you off the right way or no way. Black people are too accustomed to quick fixes now. It’s time that we take a real stand. It’s time that we refuse to let them let us go, because we have to bring bigger attention to the bigger problem. Dr. King went to jail voluntarily. I understand why a teenage boy would accept a plea bargain. I’m simply saying it’s time that we rewire our children. If our children are hardened and determined enough to be gang members, to be men before their time, then there’s a responsibility that comes with that. And self-sacrifice is the greatest responsibility.”
