Lil Yachty Faces Backlash Over George Floyd Lyric
Rapper Lil Yachty ignited a firestorm of criticism after previewing an unreleased track during a livestream studio session with PlaqueBoyMax that contained a deeply controversial reference to George Floyd's death. In the song, Yachty raps: "Put my knee up on her neck, I went George Floyd." The line, which references the manner in which Floyd was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, drew immediate and widespread condemnation across social media.
The backlash was swift and came from all corners of the internet. Fans, critics, and public figures alike called out Lil Yachty for using the death of George Floyd as a punchline in a song. The clip from the livestream spread rapidly, and within hours the controversy had become one of the biggest stories in hip hop.
Terrence Floyd Demands The Line Be Changed
Terrence Floyd, George Floyd's brother, did not hold back in his response. In a statement to journalist Loren LoRosa, Terrence labeled the lyric "really inconsiderate" and made it clear that the family was not going to let it slide. He warned that the younger generation of artists needs to think more carefully about the impact of their words.
"Sometimes this generation doesn't pay attention to what they say. It may make sense to you but think about the impact to others," Terrence Floyd stated. He went further, demanding that the line be removed from the song entirely: "I want the line changed. Let my brother rest in peace. There has to be a better message behind any mention of George Floyd's name. So his legacy can live on beyond what Chauvin did to him."
Stephen Jackson Goes Off On Lil Yachty
Retired NBA star Stephen Jackson, who was one of George Floyd's closest friends growing up in Houston's Third Ward, also weighed in with a blistering response. Jackson went live on Instagram to directly address Lil Yachty, calling the lyric "weak" and questioning the rapper's talent in the process.
"Lil Yachty, bro. You've been wack. You think saying George Floyd's name in a bar is gonna make people like your music? That is weak," Jackson said during the live session. He added, "Let somebody die in your family and we'll do a whole skit about it!" The comments went viral and added significant pressure on Yachty to address the situation.
Yachty Apologizes And The Two Make Peace
To his credit, Lil Yachty did not let the situation fester. According to Complex and multiple outlets, Yachty reached out to Stephen Jackson privately to apologize for the lyric. Jackson later took to Instagram to confirm that the two had spoken and that he accepted the apology.
"He made a mistake, we moved on. He apologized. We moved on from it," Jackson said, adding that he considers Yachty a "smart young man" who simply made a poor judgment call. Jackson deleted his original post criticizing the rapper, signaling that the beef had been squashed. Whether the line will actually be removed from the final version of the song remains to be seen, but the episode served as a powerful reminder that some topics carry weight that no amount of artistic freedom can justify treating carelessly.
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