Video of 11-year-old Keaton Jones of Knoxville, Tennessee, tearfully questioning his bullies went viral over the weekend and elicited a heavy response from celebrities, including those from the Hip Hop community.
From Cardi B to Chris Brown, many prominent artists came to Jones’ defense, offering solidarity via social media.
The child even gained a lifelong friend in West Coast O.G. Snoop Dogg.
“Say lil Man U gotta friend in me for life hit me on dm so we can chop it up love is the only way to beat hate,” Snoop wrote in the caption of his repost of Jones’ video.
AD LOADING...
Cardi B took direct aim at Jones’ bullies, writing “you not even a bully YOU A STRAIGHT UP PUSSY ASS PUNK ASS BITCH.”
T.I., Rihanna and Plies were among the other artists who responded to Jones’ video.
In his emotional video, Jones asks someone offscreen, “Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What’s the point of it?” He then details the bullying he’s suffered at the hands of other children at his school.
“They make fun of my nose,” Jones said in the video. “They call me ugly. They say I have no friends.”
AD LOADING...
A GoFundMe campaign was launched for Jones and his family, raising close to $60,000 as of December 11.
The defense from Hip Hop and many other celebrities took a twist when Jones’ family was possibly exposed for being racist. A photo collage making the rounds online allegedly features questionable commentary and Confederate flag-flaunting photos from the boy’s mother, Kimberly Jones.
