NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: R&B sensation Jill Scott finds herself at the center of controversy after delivering a powerful rendition of the US National Anthem at the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans on Sunday, July 2. Scott's thought-provoking interpretation, which reflects on the black experience in America, has ignited a fierce debate surrounding the boundaries of artistic expression and national symbolism.
During the Independence Day celebration, Scott's performance took an unorthodox turn as she infused the 'Star-Spangled Banner' with lyrics that challenged the traditional narrative. Opening with the lines, "Oh, say, can you see, by the blood in the streets, this place doesn't smile on you, colored child," her rendition shed light on the struggles and contributions of the black community throughout history.
'Oh say, does this truth hold any weight?'
As she continued, Scott's lyrics drew attention to the labor and sacrifice of those whose "blood built this land with sweat and their hands," while also conveying a poignant message about the erasure of their memory. The controversial verse states, "But we'll die in this place and your memory erased. Oh say, does this truth hold any weight? This is not the land of the free but the home of the slaves."
'Absolute bulls**t!'
The release of a snippet of Scott's performance by Essence magazine, the host of the event, quickly sparked an intense reaction across the nation. Essence magazine captioned the video clip with the message, "Everyone please rise for the only National Anthem we will be recognizing from this day forward," further fueling the fervor surrounding Scott's rendition. One user tweeted, "To call this a “National Anthem” and ask people to “rise” for it is really disgraceful. National anthems uplift - country they don’t put them down. Anyone rising or showing respect for this perversion of our national anthem is free to leave if it’s so horrible here." Another claimed, "This is nauseating . No only is the singing awful; the hateful message is even more repulsive." A third added, "That's not the National Anthem! Sorry." A fourth user simply tweeted, "Absolute bulls**t." A fifth user claimed, "Okay so I am actually crying rn. Why does the truth hurt so much!" with a sixth adding, "It's obvious to me she was told to sing this and she's getting paid for it. That's all this is." "That’s a huge no," read a tweet. "Disgrace," tweeted another.
