Chrisette Michele

Chrisette Michele cancels NJ to play for Trump (Questlove would pay her to NOT)

“The Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” goes down in DC on Thursday (1/19). The Trump inauguration concert features unspurprising names like 3 Doors Down and Toby Keith, but now NY Daily News is reporting that “sources close to the festivities” are saying Chrisette Michele will perform as well. The info was reportedly kept a secret out of fear of backlash against her decision to perform.

She was supposed to play NJ’s Starland Ballroom with Daley the night of the DC concert, but the NJ show has now been cancelled due to a “scheduling conflict.”

Chrisette’s worked with The Roots, Jay Z, Nas, Ghostface Killah, The Game, Rick Ross, Talib Kweli and others over the years, and she has releases on both Def Jam and Motown. One of her past collaborators, Questlove (who plays in The Roots and is a noted Trump hater), is not too happy with this news and he tweeted the following:

Vulture points to a tweet Chrisette posted last summer which says “I’m no political genius” and “Respectfully, I don’t believe that a boycott is the answer. It was the answer 60 years ago. I don’t believe that marches are the answer. They were the answer 60 years ago.” Judging by the replies, her sentiment did not go over very well that time either.

UPDATE (1/19): Chrisette posted an open letter called “We Can’t Be Present If We’re Silent” on her label Rich Hipster’s website:

“My heart is broken for our country, for the hopes of our children, for the fights of those who came before us.

I cry at the thought that Black History, American History might be in vain.

This country has had great moments. God has shined His light upon us.

Today, I hope that Great Moments begin in peaceful & progressive conversation. I am willing to be a bridge. I don’t mind “These Stones”, if they allow me to be a voice for the voiceless.

I am here.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end, the day we become silent about what matters,”.

I am here, representing you, because this is what matters.”

– Chrisette Michele

#NoPoliticalGenius

Since the lineup for “The Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” was first announced, Broadway singer Jennifer Holliday dropped off the lineup and apologized to the LGBT community “for [her] lapse of judgement.” Sam Moore (of soul/R&B duo Sam & Dave) was (controversially) added to the lineup in her place.

The legendary singer announced that “As an American, I am honored to perform for President-elect Donald Trump. I was a participant in the civil rights movement and have seen many positive changes and advancement in my 81 years of living in this wonderful country.” [TMZ]

Bruce Springsteen tribute band The B Street Band dropped off of an inaugural gala in Jersey that they had agreed to play, after E Street Band members Garry Tallent and Steve Van Zandt voiced disapproval (and tons of other backlash came the B Street Band’s way too).