By now, everyone has heard about the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri following the murder of unarmed teen Mike Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. The police have militarized and gathered in Ferguson en masse to stop protests and to intimidate those looking to stand up to the police brutality that many in the region have stomached for so long. Actors, politicians, and musicians have all descended upon Ferguson, with some looking to inspire and lend help to those living in a city under siege. Rappers such as J. Cole and Nelly have visited the city, but many thought Nelly could bring a special impact being that he is originally from the St. Louis area. In recent days, Nelly spoke to a crowd, informing them that they were in need of a plan. When crowd members asked Nelly if he himself had one for the city of Ferguson, things got quiet. While having a prominent entertainer show support for people in need is certainly a good thing, perhaps Nelly should rethink his approach to talking to the people of Ferguson.
Nelly spoke with TMZ about his experiences and his hopes for the city. “I understand the frustration, but we have to strategize before we overreact,” Nelly said. “We don’t get no do-over on shit like this, so we have to do it right the first time. Ain’t nothing happen no different that hasn’t been happening. At the end of the day, we should have waited to strategize first and take all the right steps to organize.”
TMZ also stated that Nelly will be starting a scholarship fund in the name of Mike Brown. Nelly has recruited fellow entertainers such as T.I., Kevin Hart, and Al Jefferson of the Charlotte Hornets to donate $15,000 each per year for college tuition. The Brown family will determine the recipients of the new scholarship. Nelly has proven that the words and actions of celebrities hold a lot of weight, especially in situations of crisis. Hopefully, Nelly improves his crowd interaction, but continues to do good things. The creation of a scholarship fund suggests that he will.