WARNING: This story contains graphic language.
Musician Kid Rock delivered an R-rated political speech in Detroit on Tuesday night at the newly opened Little Caesars Arena but the concert attracted protesters offended by his past use of the Confederate flag as a prop during performances.
The National Action Network’s Detroit chapter said Kid Rock’s embrace of the Confederate flag, expletive-laced criticism of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and unabashed support for Donald Trump have no place in Detroit, where about 80 per cent of the city’s 680,000 residents are black. Kaepernick, who is black, refused to stand during the national anthem while with the San Francisco 49ers last year in protest of police violence and social injustice.
The dozens of protesters from a civil rights group were met by Kid Rock’s supporters, with some displaying the Confederate symbol but there were no immediate indications of violence.
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Amid protests outside of the arena calling for his concerts to be cancelled, Kid Rock opened his performance with a new song, Greatest Show on Earth, and then the venue went dark.
“Ladies and gentleman,” a public address announcer said. “Will you please welcome the next senator of the great state of Michigan, Kid ‘mo****f***ing’ Rock.”
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A graphic on the screen said “Kid Rock ’18 For U.S. Senate,” before he took the podium to deliver a more than four-minute speech.
“What’s going on in the world today? Seems the government wants to give everyone health insurance but wants us all to pay,” Kid Rock said.
He continued: “And to be very frank, I really don’t have a problem with that, since God has blessed me and made my pockets fat. But redistribution of wealth seems more like their plan. And I don’t believe you should save, sacrifice, do things by the book and then have to take care of some deadbeat, milking the system, lazy a** mo********ing man.”
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Kid Rock then called out single mothers, who he believes over rely on government assistance. “The issue of struggling single parents is an issue close to my heart. But read my lips: We should not reward those who can’t even take care of themselves but keep having kid after f***ing kid. Of course, we should help them out. I don’t want to stand here and sound like a jerk. But let’s help ’em out with child care, job training and find them a f***ing place to work.”
Kid Rock went on to criticize Kaepernick, “And if you wanna take a knee, or sit during our Star-Spangled Banner, call me a racist, because I’m not PC, and think you have to remind me that black lives matter.”
He denounced white supremacists, saying, “Nazis. F***ing bigots. And now again the KKK? I say f*** all you racists. Stay the hell away.”
During his speech, Kid Rock spoke about transgender rights, saying “Things shouldn’t be this complicated and, no, you shouldn’t get to choose. Because whatever you have between your legs should determine the bathroom that you use.”
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Before closing his speech, he called for unity. “And I do believe it to be self-evident, that we’re all created equal. I said it once, I’ll scream it again: I love black people. And I love white people, too. But neither as much as I love red, white and blue. And, if Kid Rock for Senate has some people in disarray, wait until they hear Kid Rock for president of the U.S.A.”
“Wouldn’t it be a sight to see. President Kid Rock in Washington, D.C. Standing on the desk in the Oval Office like a G. Holding my d*** ready to address the whole country. I’d look them straight in the eyes. The eyes of the nation live on TV. And I simply turn. You’ve never met a m*****f***** quite like me,” Kid Rock said.
Kid Rock also delivered a similar mock campaign speech at his Van Andel Arena concert in Grand Rapids, Mich., last week.
The musician says he is considering a run for a U.S. Senate seat representing Michigan. He has Kid Rock for U.S. Senate shirts available for sale online and at his concerts.
Watch part of Kid Rock’s speech in the video above.
—With files from the Associated Press
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