Lil Yachty confronted public backlash earlier this week over a controversial lyric referencing George Floyd. Particularly, Floyd’s good friend Stephen Jackson referred to as out the rapper for what he described as disrespect towards the late George Floyd, whose demise sparked international protests in 2020.
“I received’t be doing no interviews about it,” he mentioned in an Instagram video. “I spoke to him. He’s a sensible younger man. He’s profitable for a purpose. He’s a brilliant sensible particular person. He made a mistake. He apologized. It’s over … he made a mistake. Let it go.”
Stephen Jackson says it’s squashed 🤝 After calling out Lil Yachty for mentioning his late good friend George Floyd in a brand new music, Stak5 revealed they spoke privately and Yachty apologized. “No interviews, it’s dealt with.” ✊🏾💬 pic.twitter.com/Su6VEzoHi3
— Traps N Trunks (@trapsntrunks) August 15, 2025
The road in query goes, “Put my knee up on her neck, I went George Floyd,” a line that nearly instantly set social media ablaze with criticism.
Many referred to as it tasteless and flat-out disrespectful, given the tragedy of Floyd’s demise in 2020. One one that wasn’t about to let it slide was former NBA participant and podcaster Stephen Jackson, a childhood good friend of George Floyd.
Jackson tore into Yachty on-line, saying, “Lil Yachty, bro. You been wack, my n####. However you assume you saying George Floyd identify, and attempting to make use of his identify in a bar, that’s gonna make folks like your wack-ass music, my n####? That s### weak.”
He went on to name out what he sees as a broader development in rap: “Y’all the one period that really feel like demeaning the lifeless and saying that s### is cool. It ain’t.”
Jackson then warned Yachty to by no means communicate Floyd’s identify once more, stressing that none of those rappers really knew him.
“Y’all wanna say his identify for clout,” he added. “That’s some weak-ass s###, Yachty. Let any person die in your loved ones, we gonna do an entire skit about it. And see how humorous it’s. Lower that s### out.”
George Floyd died on Could 25, 2020, after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for greater than 9 minutes throughout an arrest. The incident, captured on video, led to widespread protests and requires police reform throughout the US and world wide. Chauvin was later convicted of homicide and sentenced to over 22 years in jail.
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