SZA was among the artists to speak out against ICE at the Grammy Awards. After collecting a pair of Grammy trophies on Sunday night (Feb. 1), the superstar singer slammed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being asked by Variety about the importance of artists speaking up.
“It’s incredibly dystopian that we’re dressed up and able to celebrate accolades in the material world, and people are getting snatched up and shot in the face on the street,” she said. “It just feels bizarre, and I find so many of us don’t really know how to feel right now besides rage and hopelessness, and I don’t feel like that’s the calling card that I want to subscribe to.”
SZA continued: “I really believe in great possibility. I believe that entropy can breed change. I believe that this is a time when we can dig deep as a community and really learn that okay, it’s not time to count on anyone else but us and our neighbors to protect ourselves; to rally for each other, to be that morale booster, to disseminate mutual aid, to take care of each other. And I just feel like, yay, that’s an amazing opportunity; boo that this is even happening.”
The “Saturn” singer bluntly stated it’s “f—k ICE” and explained how she refuses to remain quiet going forward, which she hopes inspires others to stand up.
“It’s always f—k ICE, but it’s just a matter of, I just don’t want everyone to fall into despair because when you lose steam and you lose morale, change becomes impossible but it’s so not,” she added. “It’s so not. And I’m personally not going, I will not be going quietly into the dying of the light. So I encourage everybody to the same.”
Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish were among the Grammy winners who took time out of their acceptance speeches to highlight immigration and blast ICE in the wake of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The pair of Minneapolis residents were shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in January, which has raised tensions and fueled anti-ICE protests across the nation.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said. “It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I just, I feel really hopeful in this room. And I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting and our voices really do matter, and the people matter.”
SZA took home a pair of trophies on Sunday night thanks to “Luther.” The Kendrick Lamar GNX collaboration, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks, won honors for record of the year and best melodic rap performance.
