Justin Timberlake apologizes for tweet following Jesse Williams’ BET speech
NEW YORK — Justin Timberlake, who praised actor-activist Jesse Williams’ moving speech at the BET Awards, has apologized for responding to a tweet claiming he appropriates black culture.
Timberlake tweeted Sunday that he was inspired after Williams spoke passionately about racism and social injustice. The actor, who received the network’s humanitarian award from BET chairman and CEO Debra Lee, for his prominent role in the Black Lives Matter movement, dedicated his award to “the activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do.”
A responder tweeted to Timberlake: “Does this mean you’re going to stop appropriating our music and culture?”
Timberlake responded:
Oh, you sweet soul. The more you realize that we are the same, the more we can have a conversation.
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) June 27, 2016
The pop singer said he felt “misunderstood” after some said his response was insensitive. Timberlake ended with: “I apologize to anyone that felt I was out of turn. I have nothing but LOVE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US.”
Williams received the humanitarian award at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
