S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West is reportedly joining a group of artists protesting Arizona's controversial immigration enforcement law.
According to reports, West is one of many artists taking action against the law.
Zack de la Rocha has issued a statement on behalf of an organization called the Sound Strike urging music fans and fellow artists to boycott Arizona “to stop SB 1070,” which he labels an “odious” law. Among those artists joining de la Rocha’s boycott are Conor Oberst, Kanye West, Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against, Cypress Hill, Serj Tankian, Joe Satriani, Sonic Youth, Tenacious D, Street Sweeper Social Club and Michael Moore. In de la Rocha’s words, the new law “sanctions racial profiling, straight up,” forcing “cops to hunt down and target anyone they ‘reasonably suspect’ that may be undocumented. And if the people they harass don’t have proof that they were born in the U.S., they can be detained and arrested.” (AZ Central)
The law makes it a misdemeanor for an illegal alien to be in Arizona without possessing legal paperwork.
Miami rapper [Pitbull] announced that he has decided to bypass the May 31, date on his ‘Mr. Worldwide’s Carnaval,’ tour which was intended to stop at the Phoenix Celebrity Theatre. Pitbull relayed the news via Twitter, explaining to fans that it was simply a moral issue. “I am canceling my concert in Phoenix on May 31 … How is the country we enjoy and love bcuz of its human rights, freedom, opportunity and that has been built by immigrants, now start 2 deny them??…It is contradicting 2 everything the USA stands 4.” (The Boom Box)
Prior to Pitbull, Cypress Hill canceled their Arizona concert earlier this month in protest.
The group says the May 21 show has been axed “in a show of resistance to the criminalization of immigrant communities and in opposition to SB1070.” “This decision was made in an effort to show support and solidarity with those, undocumented and otherwise, being directly affected by this unconstitutional ‘law.’ Cypress Hill recognizes those living in the struggle for their basic civil rights. Rise Up!” (Phoenix News Times)
Arizona rapper G-Moe shared his opinion on what the law will mean to the state recently.
“It gets complicated, but it’s not right. I think they went at it all wrong. Arizona is already a suffering state, and if the U.S. starts boycotting Arizona, it’s going to be even worse – people losing jobs due to businesses shutting down and so on. It’s the domino effect. It’s the Arizona natives that will suffer, and they have nothing to do with this new law. Immigration is a big issue for Arizona, but at the same time, it needs to be resolved, and I don’t think this law is the solution they thought it was.” (Houston Press)
