BY: KENYA HUNTER
(Gainesville, Ga.) – A New Jersey school who originally had singer, Common, planned as its speaker for the graduating class of 2015 has decided to cancel after police raised concerns because of one of his songs.
Kean University cancelled the singer, who wrote the song, “Glory” with its prior commencement speaker, John Legend. “The students expressed interest in Common because he wrote the song, ‘Glory’ with our prior commencement speaker, John Legend,” said Susan Kayne, the University’s spokesperson.
New Jersey Police raised concerns about one of Common’s songs called “A Song for Assata,” which was written in 2000. The song is a dedication to Joanne Chesimard, who goes be the name Assata Shakur. In 1977, she was convicted of killing Trooper Werner Foerester in 1973 along with being a part of the Black Liberation Army in the 1970s. In 2013, the FBI listed her as America’s number one most wanted domestic terrorist, and offered a reward for $1 Million for her capture. She is now living in Cuba as a fugitive.
Kean University is currently pursuing other options for a commencement speaker.
See Huffington Post for full story.
Leave a Reply