Harry Belafonte Says Jay-Z and Beyoncé ‘Have Turned Their Back on Social Responsibility’
In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter to discuss his Golden Leopard Honor Award at the Locarno Film Festival, Harry Belafonte had some interesting things to say about contemporary entertainers.
The 85-year-old actor, singer, and longtime activist is apparently dismayed at the current state of social affairs. Belafonte, who fought against racist practices during the Civil Rights Era, has continued his political and social activism, often working with prisoners, advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness and education, and being an outspoken critic of what he calls “unbridled capitalism.”
During the interview, Belafonte gave his opinion on Mitt Romney (not his cup of tea), the biggest threat to America (the concentration of money at the top), and what he thinks about black entertainers and their political and social activism. But it was his mention of Jay and Bey that got folks’ attention.
Asked if he was happy with the image of minorities in Hollywood today, the ever-outspoken Belafonte did not hold his tongue.
Not at all. They have not told the history of our people, nothing of who we are. We are still looking. We are not determinated. We are not driven by some technology that says you can kill Afghans, the Iraqis, or the Spanish. It is all — excuse my French — shit. It is sad. And I think one of the great abuses of this modern time is that we should have had such high-profile artists, powerful celebrities. But they have turned their back on social responsibility. That goes for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen, and now you’re talking. I really think he is black.
Despite Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s recent efforts to be politically and socially active (the Shawn Carter Foundation sends kids to college and both have been big Obama supporters), they are often criticized for not doing more.
But is the criticism fair?
You tell us.
Revolutionaries and rebels aren’t born, they’re made. Jay Z and Beyonce only need to decide to do what is socially right, but they choose not to.
One is a rapper and the other is a singer. What part of their careers lends itself to social activism?
They are not leaders in society they are entertainers, neither of whom graduated high school. The question is not what are they doing, the question is what is the rest of us doing?
There are many of us that ask that question. I like many other blacks voted for President Obama out of a since of loyalty. However especially the second time in my heart I was wishing that he lost. This is because I realized that we did not have one black leader like Dr. King, that could stand up at a podium and tell black people that we must come together. That we have to stop our young people from killing each other and is requesting every black professional athlete, entertainers, race and religions to come and join him on a certain day. He is the one black individual if he was not the president that could of made Dr.Kings and the Million man march events look like a small gathering.