Rapper Killer Mike Issues Tearful Plea For Peace: 'It Is The Responsibility Of Us'

Rapper Killer Mike is one of many urging protestors to be non-violent while demonstrating.

In his hometown of Atlanta, the Grammy Award winner joined T.I., Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Police Chief Erika Shields on Friday to share ways to approach protests peacefully.

The Run The Jewels founder, whose father was a police officer in Georgia in the 1940s, said witnessing George Floyd‘s tragic death made him “mad as hell,” even though he has “a lot of love and respect for police officers.” He shared:

“Here we are 80 years later, and I watched a white officer assassinate a black man, and I know that tore your heart out.”

The 45-year-old tearfully continued:

“So that’s why children are burning it to the ground. They don’t know what else to do. And it is the responsibility of us to make this better right now. We don’t want to see one officer charged, we want to see four officers prosecuted and sentenced. We don’t want to see Targets burning, we want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burnt to the ground.”

While he also “wanted to see the world burn,” he also urged protestors to “not burn your own house down for anger with an enemy.” He explained:

“It is your duty to fortify your own house, so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization. And now is the time to plot, plan, strategize, organize, and mobilize. It is time to beat up prosecutors you don’t like at the voting booth. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. Atlanta is not perfect, but we’re a lot better than we ever were, and we’re a lot better than cities are.”

Mike, who has been notably involved in social and political activism in the past, also shared with viewers how they can take action via political change:

“Two of the most effective ways, is first, taking your butt to the computer and making sure you fill out your census to make sure people know where you are and who you are. The next thing is to exercise your political bully power and go into political elections, and beating up the politicians that you don’t like. Now is the time to do that. But it is not time to burn down your own home.”

His publicist, Jennifer R. Farmer, shared with People:

“It’s been said, that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What you witnessed last night was a heart overflowing with pain and frustration of being constantly told to wait on freedom. Freedom is not just being able to walk around unencumbered. It is being able to live without fear that one will be gunned down without reprisal or justice.”

She concluded:

“It is knowing that you can earn a living wage and care for yourself and family. It is seeing an end to systemic racism. Watching Black men and women, even children, killed by police over and over again is heartbreaking and it is heavy. It is especially difficult to be asked to process one’s emotions on an open stage. This is not a theoretical exercise. It is a lived one. At this time, Mike will not make further comment. We know that this issue is important and we urge you to go to grassroots leaders and seek comment from them.”

Thank you for the moving words, Mike.