As demonstrators protest the death of Freddie Gray, a young black man while in police custody in Baltimore, one protestor creatively expressed his dissent. VIDEO from various sources show a Black Man performing Michael Jackson's hit song, "Beat It", lip-syncing and dancing while riots swirled around in the surrounding area. Yes, that's correct, a Michael Jackson impersonator offered his own form of dissent in Baltimore.
Reporter for NBC in Washington D.C. Shomari Stone posted this on his Twitter account. It shows a Black man dancing like Michael Jackson in the street to the Michael Jackson hit song, "Beat It" in the evening.
On April 12th 2015, Freddie Gray was arrested by Baltimore Police after running away from a group of police officers. While in Baltimore Police Department custody, he suffered a severe injury to his spine and died a week later. His death and funeral sparked the current protests in the Baltimore area.
Another video posted on youtube shows a black man, perhaps the same one dancing in the Shomari Stone video, dancing like Michael Jackson atop a truck during the day while riots ensued.
In 2009, Critic Armond White published "KEEP MOVING: The Michael Jackson Chronicles"; a collection of essays about Michael Jackson that he wrote throughout the duration of his journalistic career. Of interest to readers of this post are his comments about the "Beat It" music video as well as his interpretation of the coda to the "Black or White" music video, where Michael Jackson does a violent, sexual, acapella solo dance. In that essay, "The Gloved One Is Not A Chump", Armond White explores the meaning behind Michael Jackson's artistic act in that "Black or White" musical short film.
To read that essay, buy Armond White's book, "KEEP MOVING: The Michael Jackson Chronicles". Price and Ordering information are included in the sidebar.
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