Looks like we have a corresponding soundtrack for that Kendall Jenner Pepsi commercial. In another example of tone deaf attempts at solidarity, David Guetta remixed Martin Luther King Jr.’s landmark “I Have a Dream Speech” as a house track in honor of George Floyd.
Guetta has been hosting semi-frequent United at Home fundraising livestreams, and he’s pulled in a commendable sum of money. His latest performance took place Sunday night from a New York City rooftop, raising around $670,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for Feeding America. Meanwhile, the streets around him filled with Black Lives Matter protesters, rioters, and NYPD officers.
“So last night, I knew we were going to do this and I made a special record. This next record is in honor of George Floyd,” the French DJ said prior to playing his tribute track. “And I really hope we can see more unity and more peace when already things are so difficult.”
“So, shout out to his family,” he concluded as a typical EDM beat pulsated louder. Then in came the powerful voice of MLK, and it suddenly became clear just how cringeworthy this moment was as Guetta energized his virtual crowd with a fist pump.
“We’ve found it. The whitest way to react to racism,” said one Twitter user.
“David Guetta is really trying to unts unts racism away I’m gonna screammmmmmm,” wrote another.
Even Hudson Mohawke chimed in, tweeting, “Dono where to start w counting the levels of tone deaf and wrong here.”
Look, we get that he was just trying to show some support, but turning the speech on racial inequality into a “drop” feels like severely missing the mark. Maybe if Guetta had donated that night’s fundraising proceeds to BLM or related political movements, funds, or organizations it would have at least softened the blow. But instead we get him standing in front of the Empire State Building, bouncing to, “I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”
Watch below.
Dono where to start w counting the levels of tone deaf and wrong here pic.twitter.com/kzbctNwcjv
— Hudson Mohawke (@HudMo) May 31, 2020
We’ve found it. The whitest way to react to racism. pic.twitter.com/aOE3PYESt7
— Still Restricted #FreeAdequateEmily (@AdequateEmily) May 31, 2020
https://twitter.com/ShabzKebabs/status/1267270501547814919
there’ve been a lot of crimes committed against my ppl this weekend, but david guetta putting a drop behind MLK’s “i have a dream” speech is up there pic.twitter.com/4iskArPcVy
— my otter academia (@ottergawd) May 31, 2020
I'm white (spoiler) and I've spent too long not getting smart on being a better activist and ally. I'm going to be better at reading and sharing content from people smarter than me. It's not much, but it's a start.
AdvertisementWe can all do better than David Guetta. https://t.co/si4QGMrxai https://t.co/f20mLyAx7s
— Brendan Shaughnessy (@bshaughn) June 1, 2020
Yes David Guetta, I’m sure that’s exactly what George Floyd would have wanted… an EDM banger sampling Martin Luther King 🤨pic.twitter.com/eVUB4p4CRj
— Áine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) May 31, 2020
