Madonna, Usher, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Trey Songz, Young Jeezy and Wale also refuse to perform in the state in protest of the state's Stand Your Ground law.
- July 23, 2013
AceShowbiz -
A large number of musicians are reportedly following Stevie Wonder's footstep in boycotting Florida over the state's controversial Stand Your Ground law. A source close to Wonder revealed the names of the A-List performers who wouldn't perform in the state after a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty for fatally shooting 17-year-old unarmed Trayvon Martin.
The source told American Urban Radio Network's April Ryan that Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Usher, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Trey Songz, Young Jeezy and Wale had signed on to the boycott. According to Ryan's report, some of the artists have already canceled shows in the Sunshine State.
The boycott was initiated by Wonder. "I decided today that until the Stand Your Ground law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again," the 63-year-old singer/songwriter said during a concert in Canada last week. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world," he continued.
"The truth is that -for those of you who've lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world- we can't bring them back. What we can do is we can let our voices be heard," he added. "And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That's what I know we can do."
Florida is one of the 22 states that employ the Stand Your Ground law, which allows individuals to use deadly force to defend themselves if someone else is believed to endanger their life and safety.
