"STAND UP FOR SOMETHING" Oscars 2018 1 Favorite 

Date: 

Mar 4 2018

Location: 

Dolby Theater, Hollywood, CA

The American rapper’s performance of 'Stand Up for Something' with singer Andra Day has gone down as one of the highlights of this year’s Academy Awards.

Common used his Oscars performance to condemn Donald Trump’s “hate” and the National Rifle Association.

The American rapper’s performance of “Stand Up for Something” with singer Andra Day has been held up by many as one of the highlights of this year’s Academy Awards.

In keeping with the explicitly political message of the rendition, the pair were joined on stage by 10 activists who Common and Day personally invited.

“In American life, there are these people who abandon comfortable circumstances and take on issues that are bigger than themselves. And that is a thankless, thankless job to take on,” Dave Chappelle said when introducing the performance on Sunday night.

Common and Day decided to illuminate the campaigners with spotlights in an effort to show the real world activism they engage in day-to-day.

The rapper shared a list of the activists, which included Black Lives Matter's Patrisse Cullors, former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, the Me Too movement's Tarana Burke, and Nicole Hockley from Sandy Hook Promise, an organisation that trains students and adults to recognise the signs of gun violence.

“If it’s one thing I learned from being a part of Selma it's that an activist is someone who lives their life for what they believe in and works for that cause every day,” Common said in a statement before the awards show.

"The activists we asked to join us onstage are people who have dedicated their lives to making the world better. For some because their own personal experiences have driven them to this place, and some because they’ve seen the injustices going on in the world and felt they had to take action.“

Common also used the performance to condemn the NRA – the powerful pro-gun lobbying group which donated more than $30m (£21.4m) to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

"Tell the NRA they in God's way and tell the people of Parkland we say àse (a West African philosophy about creating change). Sentiments of love for the people from Africa, Haiti, to Puerto Rico,“ Common said at the beginning of the performance.

Seventeen students and staff members were killed this in the 14 February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The NRA responded by tweeting a video to Common and the Academy about the NRA's commitment to honouring American veterans.

Common also used the performance to criticise the President and voice his support for immigrants.

He said: "These days we dance between love and hate. ... A President that trolls with hate. He don't control our fate because God is great. When they go low we stay in our heights. I stand for peace, love and women's rights.“

This line refers to a 2016 election plea by former first lady Michelle Obama, who famously said: ”When they go low, we go high.“

Posted by LCB1980 on

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