A$AP Rocky Responds To Backlash Over Past Police Brutality Comments

A$AP Rocky found himself trending on Twitter Friday (July 15) over a 2015 Time Out New York interview where he spoke about police brutality, social injustice, and Ferguson.

The Harlem native said at the time that he wasn’t interested in making political music, and had no connection to protests in Ferguson spawned by the shooting of Mike Brown. “I live in f*cking Soho and Beverly Hills, I can’t relate,” he said.

Rocky’s comments landed on the scope of Black Twitter, and you can guess what came next.

Asap rocky
Kevin Gates
Christina Milian
Fetty Wap’s eye
All been banned from the cookout till further notice

— 588-2300 (@Hi_IamAaron) July 15, 2016

Why would we support ASAP Rocky if he doesn’t support us and the battle we all face? He’d rather promote a drug that killed his homie? Word.

— Teezy (@TeezyKnows) July 15, 2016

*deletes ASAP Rocky from files* pic.twitter.com/utqU1byCtW

— Black Women Matter (@NelsonEmpowered) July 15, 2016

Why is everyone shocked abt ASAP Rocky’s alleged comments? I’ve been saying for wks now that y’all can’t force every celeb to be an activist

— b. (@BiancaRaye) July 15, 2016

The 27-year-old rapper, who appeared in the call for racial justice PSA “23 Ways” that debuted earlier this week, tweeted a response to the backlash late Friday.

In short, Rocky quieted the social media outrage by explaining that his views have changed since the interview.

#ASAPRocky addressing backlash from an old interview that resurfaced where he said that he did not sign up to be a political activist, & he would rather talk about his life and lifestyle as a rapper, than focus on social injustices

A photo posted by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Jul 15, 2016 at 1:32pm PDT