Justin Bieber Spoke About Benefitting Off Of Black Culture & Vowed To Fight Racial Injustice
Justin Bieber is vowing to speak up about racial injustice, and owning up to how Black culture has helped propel his music career. The pop star has been sharing messages about racism on Instagram following the killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police on May 25. Justin Bieber acknowledged benefitting off of Black culture in a post that makes an important promise to his fans.
Bieber has been vocal on Instagram amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality, and he made his most personal statement on racial issues in an Instagram post on Saturday, June 6. "I am inspired by black culture. I have benefited off of black culture," he wrote. "My style, how I sing, dance, perform, and my fashion have all been influenced and inspired by black culture." Bieber went on to pledge to use his platform to speak up about racial injustice and systemic oppression, as well as identify ways to be a part of the change.
Many celebrities responded to the Instagram post with their support, including his manager Scooter Braun and Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton. Bieber's fans and the media have called the singer out for racial insensitivity a number of times in the past, but it looks like he is committed to making a change. His most recent anti-racism post comes about half a year after he acknowledged he's said hurtful things in the past due to being uneducated on racial injustice.
Bieber shared two posts on June 1, with one saying "All lives do not matter until black lives matter" and the other, "It is not enough to be quietly non-racist, now is the time to be vocally anti-racist." He also shared a photo of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who died after being shot by police in her Georgia home in mid-March.
Bieber was among many celebs who uploaded a black box in solidarity with Black Lives Matter for #BlackOutTuesday on June 2. According to Rolling Stone, music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang started the initiative to have the music industry refrain from posting as usual on social media to draw attention on how to support the Black community. Other celebs that participated in the social media initiative include Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, and Timothée Chalamet.
It seems clear from looking at Bieber's Instagram profile that he is making a commitment to fighting for equality. Hopefully he will continue to use his platform to help educate his fans.
