Over a week after the police killing of George Floyd on May 25, charges have finally come down on all four officers involved. And while the Hip Hop community appreciates the decision, they’re still woefully aware the fight doesn’t end here.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Derek Chauvin, the former cop at the center of Floyd’s death, had his charge of third-degree murder upgraded to second-degree murder on Wednesday (June 3). The other fired officers — Thomas Lane, J.A. Keung and Tou Thao — were also arrested and charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Protests and riots erupted around the world since Floyd’s death, pushing the state of Minnesota to bring down charges. Now that the first step has been taken, artists have been using their platforms to share their thoughts on the arrests.
“Shiiit roll up,” 2 Chainz wrote on Instagram with a graphic noting the officers’ charges.
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Snoop shared a similar graphic, adding a prayer emoji, a peace emoji and a fist-bump emoji in his caption.
Bail for each of the four officers has been set at $1 million. The official charges against Chauvin are second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
The state of Minnesota currently recommends a 12 and a half year sentence on the unintentional charge. An intentional charge carries a heavier sentence of 25 and a half years in prison, according to CBS Minnesota.
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Check out reactions from more artists below.
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Hip Hop has not been silent during this crucial time in history. JAY-Z called MN Governor Walz to help get George Floyd’s case into the hands of Attorney General Keith Ellison, Russ raised over $150k for Black Lives Matter, The Weeknd donated $500k to various BLM causes, Drake donated $100k to a bail relief fund, and Killer Mike provided a powerful speech addressing Atlanta amid city wide protests. These efforts are only a few highlights among the many people who are doing what they can to help spread messaging and advance the Black Lives Matter movement.
