In support of the city workers who are on strike in Philadelphia, LL Cool and Jazmine Sullivan cancelled their appearances at a Fourth of July festival the City of Brotherly Love.
In support of the 10,000 city employees — from 911 dispatchers to trash collectors to water department workers – who walked off the job Tuesday (7.01) in an effort to secure better pay and benefits, the superstar rapper/actor cancelled his Wawa Welcome America Festival slot on Friday (7.04,) via social media video.
“I understand there’s a lot going on in Philadelphia right now, and I never, ever, ever wanna disappoint my fans, especially in Philadelphia…but there’s absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage. I’m not doing that.” “I’ve been coming to Philly my whole life. I have respect for the city. And I hope, I hope, I hope that, you know, the mayor and the city can make a deal. I hope it works out,” stated LL Cool J.
The musician/thespian (born James Todd Smith) added that he would still travel to Philadelphia with the hope that an agreement between the workers and the city could be reached, but no deal materialized by Friday. “I’m not gonna cross a picket line and perform for money when people are hurting,” he reiterated.
The Philly-born Sullivan took to her Instagram Stories with:
“In this life we are only measured by how we uphold our morals and standards, by what we choose to fight for through participation or protest. Today I choose not to perform at the Wawa Welcome America concert and stand with Philly’s DC33 until the city and union find a way to bring fair living wages to our working class. I love my city and I believe in you. Hopefully we will get to celebrate when things are better.”
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Author: Saul Goode