After staying silent during the past weeks, Kanye West has finally taken action. The iconic rapper pledged to support the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
Variety reported that Ye already donated $2 million to different charities associated with Floyd, Arbery, and Taylor. Kanye West then set up a college fund to cover Gianna Floyd's tuition fees. Gianna is the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd. She was orphaned after her Floyd died in a fatal arrest attempt.
Four Minneapolis police officers face charges from Keith Ellison, Minnesota's Attorney General. Derek Chauvin, the former police who knelt on Floyd's neck, was charged with third-degree murder. Ellison has also charged officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng with aiding and abetting, second-degree murder.
Black Lives Matter - Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor
Aside from Gianna Floyd's college fund, Kanye West has also pledged to cover the legal fees for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor's family. Both African-American families continue to fight for justice.
Ahmaud Arbery was a 25-year-old black man jogging on Holmes Road reportedly pursued and later killed by residents Gregory and Travis McMichael.
On the other hand, Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old female ER technician killed soon after midnight, March 13. Louisville police effected a search warrant and, after a dispute, shot Taylor at least eight times. The police said that Taylor's boyfriend shot first. The wounded officer and two others have been reassigned.
Both cases have gained additional attention after George Floyd's widely-publicized death. Last Monday, May 25, a video showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes went viral. The incident with Floyd has sparked protests over the country. It later urged record labels and talent agencies to suspend business last Tuesday, June 2. Several cities have been placed on curfew, with some states activating their local National Guard.
READ MORE: Growing Response to George Floyd's Death: Taylor Swift, Eminem, T.I., Bon Iver
In West's native Chicago, the statement said Yeezus himself would help the local business. He will back-up companies owned by black Americans through financial aid.
Actions Speaking Louder Than Words
These concrete plans from Kanye West's camp follow the criticism against the Grammy Award-winning artist. Fans noted his supposed silence when the George Floyd killing first gained momentum. His wife, Kim Kardashian, has already expressed disappointment with the turn of events.
Some people were quick to criticize Kanye West, who has been a vocal Trump supporter. In Kim's post, one user wrote: "You and Kanye both have access to reaching out Donald Trump." The user then asked: "Why don't you both reach out to him to start talking about police reform?"
A second user noted how "Kanye has suddenly been so quiet all of a sudden." Another pointed out that "you have 2 black sons, 2 black daughters and a black husband... this should have been your fight before now."
Earlier today, Kanye West posted a snapshot of an exclusive report about his new plans. Fans instantly thanked and defended West from critics. One user wrote: "They complained when he wasn't tweeting about it... Actions speak louder than words."
