Fact Check

Music Artists Boycotting Florida?

Have musical acts declined to perform in Florida over the state's 'stand your ground' law?

Published July 21, 2013

Claim:

Claim:   Musical acts have declined to perform in Florida over the state's "stand your ground" law.


MIXTURE


Examples:   [Collected via e-mail, July 2013]


Due to the stand your ground law on the books in florida! Along with the great Stevie Wonder the following acts has canceled (all) their up-n-coming concert dates in and around Florida indefinitely until the law in Florida is abolished: Rod Stewart, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Patti Labelle Parliament/Funkadelic The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alishia Keys, Usher, Will.I.Am, R. Kelly, Trey Songz, Rihana, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Wale' Young Jeezy, Charlie Wilson, Joe, Justin Timberlake, Ciara, Kelly Rowland & Keyshia Cole. Now if you add all those ticket sales up you are talking billions! Justin Timberlake 20/20 Vision was due to kick off in Miami, he canceled and he stated he refuse to entertain a state who's government allows people to shoot and kill unarmed teenagers.

 

Origins:   In the wake of the July 2013 "not guilty" verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman for the fatal shooting of Travyon Martin in Sanford, Florida, musician Stevie Wonder announced that he would not be performing in Florida or any other state that currently has a "stand your ground" self-defense law on the books:


Florida fans of Stevie Wonder who want to see the legend sing are going to have to go on a road trip for the near future. During a performance in Quebec City, Canada, the Grammy-winning performer spoke out about the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman and announced he would boycott the state.

"I decided today that until the 'Stand Your Ground' law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again," he told the audience. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world."

Though the "stand your ground" law arguably was not a factor in Zimmerman's acquittal, it was a much-discussed potential motivation for Zimmerman's actions on the night of Feb. 26, 2012, when he and Martin had their deadly encounter.



 

Although some of the other artists mentioned in the example reproduced above may have made public statements expressing disappointment or concern with the verdict in the

Trayvon Martin case, as far as we know none of them (other than Stevie Wonder) has canceled upcoming concert dates in Florida or expressed a refusal to play there in the future.

Contrary to what is stated above, the North American 'Legends of the Summer' tour featuring Justin Timberlake and Jay Z was not due to kick off in Miami, Florida, until Justin Timberlake canceled it because "he refused to entertain a state who's [sic] government allows people to shoot and kill unarmed teenagers." That tour began as scheduled with its opening date in Toronto, Ontario, on 17 July 2013 and played its first U.S. date at New York's Yankee Stadium two days later. The tour is currently scheduled to hit Miami on 16 August 2013.

Last updated:   21 July 2013


Sources:




    Dawn, Randee.   "Stevie Wonder Boycotts Florida Following George Zimmerman Verdict."

    NBCNews.com.   16 July 2013.

    Gardner, Elysa.   "Legends of the Summer Prove They Can Take the Heat."

    USA Today.   21 July 2013.

    NME.   "Beyonce Holds Moment of Silence for Trayvon Martin at Nashville Gig."

    15 July 2013.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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