Grammy-award winning singer and producer Pharrell Williams used his team’s live performance on NBC’s “The Voice” on Monday night to comment on the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.
During a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” Mr. Williams, one of the coaches on the hit vocal talent show, changed a lyric in the song and sang “we need justice to unfurl.”
Just before the performance, which had an audience of nearly 9.6 million viewers thanks to a guest performance by Taylor Swift, Mr. Williams sent out another message on equality via Twitter.
“As we enter into the holiday season, all I wish for is a wonderful world where equality reign supreme,” Mr. Williams tweeted.
Viewers took to Twitter, commending Mr. Williams’ performance.
“Pharrell Williams is a genius. Thoughtful performance [of] ’What a Wonderful World’ tonight, a touch commentary on Ferguson,” Krista Conley said.
“Singing on #thevoice just now @Pharrell changed lyrics to Armstrong’s “It’s a Wonderful World” to “Justice will unfold.” Awesome. #Ferguson,” Andrea Chalupa tweeted.
But some were not happy with Mr. Williams’ political performance.
“#PharrellWilliams just inserted ’justice to unfurl’ in Wonderful World song, as to depict Ferguson being unfair ruling? This has got to stop,” Lyn Evans tweeted.
Mr. Williams made headlines earlier this week when he told Ebony Magazine in an interview that more people should be talking about the behavior of Michael Brown, the black teenager who was shot and killed by white Officer Darren Wilson.
“It looked very bullyish; that in itself I had a problem with,” Mr. Williams said, referring to released surveillance video that allegedly shows Brown stealing cigarillos from a convenience store before his encounter with Officer Wilson.
“Not with the kid, but with whatever happened in his life for him to arrive at a place where that behavior is OK. Why aren’t we talking about that,” Mr. Williams asked.
But Mr. Williams did admit that he thought Officer Wilson should be held accountable for killing the teen.
“I believe that [the] Ferguson officer should be punished and serve time. He used excessive force on a human being who was merely a child.”
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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