“I have been in the forefront of this battle longer than most of those voicing their opinions…”
Aunty Gladys Knight says you will put some respeck on her name!
The music icon, dubbed the ‘Empress of Soul,’ lent a royal clapback to detractors who slammed her decision to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LIII. As we reported here, Knight – much like the game’s Halftime Show performers Travis Scott and Big Boi – was on the receiving end of insults for participating in the NFL-sanctioned event given the league’s longstanding allegations of racially charged offenses (stemming from controversy highlighted by protests performed quarterback Colin Kaepernick).
Once the 74-year-old got wind of the harsh criticism being sent her way for accepting the gig, she took to press to offer some clarification and hush the haters. Look inside:
Knight:
“I understand that Mr. Kaepernick is protesting two things, and they are police violence and injustice,” she wrote. “It is unfortunate that our National Anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses of the National Anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone.”
“I am here today and on Sunday, Feb. 3 to give the Anthem back its voice, to stand for that historic choice of words, the way it unites us when we hear it and to free it from the same prejudices and struggles I have fought long and hard for all my life, from walking back hallways, from marching with our social leaders, from using my voice for good — I have been in the forefront of this battle longer than most of those voicing their opinions to win the right to sing our country’s Anthem on a stage as large as the Super Bowl LIII.”
“No matter who chooses to deflect with this narrative and continue to mix these two in the same message, it is not so and cannot be made so by anyone speaking it. I pray that this National Anthem will bring us all together in a way never before witnessed and we can move forward and untangle these truths which mean so much to all of us.” [source]
![Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ashanti-gladys-knight-thatgrapejuice-motown-christmas-nbc-smokey-halle-bailey-jordin-sparks-jojo-464x260.jpg "Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch].")
The bigger question is why are we singing this song when the write Francis Scott Key was a racist s**** owner?
EXACTLY!
I guess Miss Gladys never read the whole song ? Give it back its voice to stand for the historic choice of words as it unites us… Lol Gladys, the HISTORIC choice of words did not include yours or my black ass. It blatantly stood for white supremacy, Francis Scott Key made that clear. It’s so funny when people today make up their own meanings for things. Like the confederate flag. Everybody during that time period said the flag stood to maintain white supremacy but people today will swear up and down it’s just about “southern pride”. ?
You are so ON POINT!! Educate Gladice etc PLEASE and Thank YOU
No need to explain Aunt Gladys, you e done real work… not type a bunch of characters on ur twitter and call that doing something
Agreed.
Naw Auntie Gladice needs to educate herself and Read A BOOK about the history of this racist song!
In other words, Auntie Gladys is 74 years old and ain’t got time for the foolishness or the shenanigans lol…she’s gonna pull up, hop out, slay the anthem and drop the mic ?
Luckily she’s fighting for injustices singing an ole negro spiritual as the “National Anthem” ??♂️
Shut up TROLLmine BIH. If I like Gladys then you like Gladys. I’m an OBTUSE Jack Ass N.igga.
Shut up Jasmine
And most criticizing her and the other performers are gonna be watching the game as they have all season thus making them hypocrites.
Exactly.
The whole point is that they only want to support us when we’re bringing in money by singing, dancing and running with a ball. The National Anthem will unite no one until we are treated equal and we are afforded the same rights and freedoms as everyone else. Gladys will be singing something that isn’t true while pretending that it is, and it will benefit no one except for the white racists who deny us our freedom every chance they get.
Gladys keeping Colin in check. I want to deep throat Colin and have his babies. Too bad im a MAN. I can still do the deep throating though HEHEHEHEH
Shut up Jasmine
She’s in need of money! That’s why she’s doing it.
lol