Mysonne Channels Killmonger Following Arrest At Immigration Rally
In the months since his stirring appearance on the BET Hip Hop Awards cypher, rapper Mysonne has continued to garner tremendous support for his steadfast dedication to the cause. He’s voiced his support for civil rights of all kinds, frequently speaking out against injustices in housing, prisons, education, politics and elsewhere – but not just on the mic.
The New York City native took part in an immigration-focused rally in Washington, D.C. yesterday (February 27), standing alongside fellow Black civil rights activists for the love of Black immigrants. The event was promoted as aiming to “demand a clean DREAM Act #ForBlackImmigrants,” and – as documented in this Instagram post from Mysonne – provided him with an opportunity to speak on Capitol Hill. Proceeding posts show Mysonne then participating in a group sit-in and then being escorted out by police with his arms behind his back.
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“my brother @mysonnenygeneral has been arrested for standing for #BlackImmigration @undocublack,” reads the caption.
Mysonne was apparently arrested, though details on the specifics of the charges are unclear. “Thanks for All your prayers and love we are free from jail but not From injustice.,” he posted on IG late yesterday before referencing a Killmonger quote from Black Panther. “Bury Me in the Ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships because they knew death was better than bondage #KillmongerSpirit. #IworkforthePeople #cleandreamact #GangstaButWokeAsF*ck”
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Immigration is not often thought of as a “Black issue,” due in large part to the media’s framing of it as primarily border-specific (i.e., Mexico and Southern America) or conflict-specific (i.e., Middle Eastern refugees). The reality is, the United States attracts Black immigrants from not only the African continent, but also the Caribbean and elsewhere. According to the Pew Research Center, “The Black immigrant population has increased fivefold since 1980.” Furthermore, “Between 2000 and 2016, the black African immigrant population more than doubled, from 574,000 to 1.6 million.” As the #undocublack hashtag above suggests, “There were 619,000 unauthorized black immigrants living in the U.S. in 2015.”
Earlier this year, Mysonne self-released “When You Win” as a single.