Lil Wayne defends trampling American flag while shooting new video
LOS ANGELES – Rap star Lil Wayne was filmed trampling all over the American flag while shooting a new music video for the song “God Bless Amerika" in New Orleans this past weekend, but the rap star says anyone offended may want to change their tune.
In footage obtained by TMZ, Lil Wayne, 30, is doing his rap thing in front of the American flag, which is then dropped to the ground as he continues to perform the song, which includes lyrics like “My country 'his of thee / Sweet land of kill 'em all and let 'em die / God bless Amerika / This ole' godless Amerika.”
Wayne went on Facebook attempting to explain the video, and his song.
“It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States of America. I was shooting a video for a song off my album entitled 'God Bless Amerika'. The clip that surfaced on the Internet was a camera trick clip that revealed that behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America," he said. "In the final edit of the video you will see the flag fall to reveal what is behind it but will never see it on the ground."
Wayne also went on to explain his lyrics critical of his country.
"In most people eyes including my own who were raised in that environment, the Hood is the only America they know and the only America I knew growing up," he said. "I was fortunate from my God giving talents to escape the Hood and see the other beautiful places this country has to offer but most people who are born in that environment don't get that chance. That's their view of their America. That was Dwayne M Carter from Hollygrove New Orleans view of America. That's who I'm speaking for in this song.”
But many were less than impressed.
"Lil Wayne's exploits are an atrocity to every soldier whose ever fought to protect this great country. His lack of maturity and respect for this country and our flag will without a doubt cost him in album sales," publicist Angie Meyer Olszewski told FOX411's Pop Tarts column. "This video has gone too far. Lil Wayne's actions are just plain dumb. What more can be said?"
Plenty more, according to the Twitterverse.
“That’s disrespectful to the extreme,” one tweeted on Monday, some called the multiple Grammy winner an “idiot” who should be “locked up,” and several others urged a “boycott” of this ‘ignorant POS.”
Media critic and author of the “Death of Free Speech," John Ziegler, said that as a free speech advocate, he supports the right to protest against America in this fashion, but also believes Americans offended by such acts should also express their free speech rights by not commercially supporting anything that Lil Wayne does.
“A boycott here would be perfectly appropriate," Ziegler said. "But unlikely to be effective because his fan base will not see any negative coverage of this act from the news sources they are likely to consume."
Others don’t see the performance as anything to be too upset about.
“Lil Wayne is an artist and a rock star. Musicians have been using the American flag in album art, photo shoots and music videos to stir up controversy and make a socio-political statements for decades now,” said entertainment reporter Jenn Hoffman. “This shouldn’t be a surprise or a big deal. It’s rock and roll.”
(Just don't tell Elvis.)
