Gary Clark Jr. Shares Emotional Video Calling Out Fellow Blues-Rock Musicians
Gary Clark Jr. took to Instagram recently to share his thoughts on the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd and to call out his fellow blues-rock musicians.
Clark shared his thoughts in the 9:22 video below. (WARNING: Some NSFW language ahead.)
The following are transcribed excerpts from the video:
“I’m tired of crying on TV. I’m tired of being angry. I’m tired of being sad about it, tired of feeling depressed and anxious and f*cked up. I feel like every time I walk out of my goddamn house, I could die today. I’m a six-foot-four black man. I’m probably some of y’all’s worst nightmare. If you didn’t know me, I’ve seen you walk across the street at night while I’m standing out front of my hotel smoking. I seen you clutch your sh*t on the subway.
My intentions are good, my heart is good — as George Floyd, as Breonna Taylor, as Ahmaud Arbery. We just want to wake up in the morning, go and make the most out of what we can, get what we can for ourselves and for our family and go the f*ck back home. That’s all. Why’s it so hard? Why is that a worry and a challenge?
…I know that some of you right now are sitting around and jamming to Jimi Hendrix or Kendrick Lamar and Robert Johnson. Stevie Wonder. And to those of you too especially, musicians out here, you know who you are, man. Calling yourselves blues guys and R&B singers and sh*t. Playing Freddie King throughout your whole f*cking set. Albert King lyrics all night long. B.B. King. Talking “Robert Johnson was the greatest!” and sh*t. Y’all praise them on their birthdays and the days that they passed.
But where are you standing up when we’re lying on the ground? We got knees in our necks. We got guns pointed at us, unarmed. We got our hands up in the air and they shoot us dead. Y’all appreciate us when we’re high and mighty and superstars, but when we need help, you got nothing?”
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