On Friday night, Chrisette Michele performed at one of Donald Trump's official inaugural balls. The R&B singer was the subject of a public backlash leading up to and following her appearance. Director Spike Lee announced that he would not use her music in his upcoming Netflix series, and she was also criticized by former collaborator Questlove. She addressed them and other detractors in a song called ?No Political Genius,? released yesterday. Now, Michele has given her first in-depth interview about her inaugural ball performance.
Speaking with Billboard, Michele said that she accepted the offer to perform immediately, with ?no hesitation?:
QuoteI didn?t even think to say no. It didn?t cross my mind. The first thing I thought was that I have an opportunity to get in front of these people who don?t seem to understand who they?re talking to and show them what we look like. I felt automatically committed to making sure that I stood up for the women who?ve felt disrespected and the minorities who felt disrespected, communities that felt that they weren?t being heard or understood. I thought that it was almost my responsibility to not just say yes but to say yes with purpose, so that was my reasoning. And no, I didn?t think twice about it.
Michele also addressed rumors that she accepted a $750,000 fee for her performance:
QuoteI recently spoke at Harvard University about how we can use art for change. I sat with a lot of different folks in politics to see what can happen. So when I got the offer [to sing at the Inaugural Ball], the only thing I thought of was what I could do to fix this. We sent in an offer for how much we charge and they said, ?Well we don?t have that,? and the first thing I thought then was how I sang for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama free of charge. This is not a money thing.
When asked by Billboard, "Did you perform at the ball for free?," she replied "No, I didn?t perform for free. One, it wasn?t $750,000, but my manager did negotiate my contract."
Michele also revealed her frustration at not getting to meet Trump himself:
QuoteOriginally I was supposed to perform directly after his first speech, and I had done that with Barack Obama before, so I was used to that kind of experience. And the woman who organized the event came and told me, "Now you?re going to go first and he?s going to go after you." I looked her in the eye and said, "My family has disowned me. If you decide to Google me, you?ll see that America is writing about me in their newspapers. I?m the black poster child for discord right now, and he?s not going to shake my hand?" So no, I didn?t get to meet him... I know he has a lot of other things going on. I don?t know if, like Barack and Michelle, he?s listening to my album or that I?ll be on his summer playlist, so I don?t want to take it that way. I?d rather be optimistic and think that they?ll come another chance where I can talk to him. But I definitely did take the time enough to meet as many of the 60,000 people in the room as I could that night and begin to exchange information. And there were a lot of people who are excited to sit down and talk, who worked on his campaign.
She said that she's working on a television series, also titled "No Political Genius," which she describes to Billboard as "taking on the mission of speaking to congressmen and women, elected officials all around the country and then speaking to people just like me who don?t understand what they?re talking about, bring them our questions and get some answers on how we can move forward."
Michele has also shared her cover of Dubose Heyward and George Gershwin?s ?Summertime.? Listen below.
http://pitchfork.com/news/71118-chrisette-michele-didnt-think-twice-about-playing-trump-inaugural-ball/
(http://i.imgur.com/WOTRNWG.jpg?1)
:jackiessales:
Crying At him Paying her
Quote"My family has disowned me. If you decide to Google me, you?ll see that America is writing about me in their newspapers. I?m the black poster child for discord right now, and he?s not going to shake my hand?"
jshshdhdbebrhrhdshdhdhehrhee
:plzstop:
V
:feelinmyself:
QuoteI thought that it was almost my responsibility to not just say yes but to say yes with purpose
gff55555x
Pissette, gor plea!
I'm crying
well at least she got paid?
:roflmao:
this backlash is kinda crazy
I'm so excited
I hope it was worth it
this is disheartening
wonder why she didnt get her coins
I don't feel bad for her ijs
oh gorl
Dummy
Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
(http://i.imgur.com/njhXXdZ.jpg)
I know she is trying to save face but she is coming off like a disingenuous bitch
Quote from: Uni on January 24, 2017, 04:04:37 PM
:kii:
I'm Crynhg
Let's NOT tho! :dead: Sette' Nie just Copp a few houses 🏡🏡 Flip those! Book something Substantial off the Coast...A small re-treat mess! Luxuriate in that for a bit, While you re-write your Comeback, and use this tea as your stepping stone. No shade!
I can't imagine Homegirls fam trying to disown ha' tho! Nnmnnn Like who are they compared to her! :kii:
b
(http://i.imgur.com/Yh3yIeE.jpg)
G
The only thing that was accomplished here is that Cassette's wig is being tossed a lil more than Pig Burrell
p
he didn't shake her hand? oh wow
Quote from: TRY.It.AGAIN on January 24, 2017, 05:54:04 PM
Quote from: Uni on January 24, 2017, 04:04:37 PM
:kii:
I'm Crynhg
Let's NOT tho! :dead: Sette' Nie just Copp a few houses 🏡🏡 Flip those! Book something Substantial off the Coast...A small re-treat mess! Luxuriate in that for a bit, While you re-write your Comeback, and use this tea as your stepping stone. No shade!
I can't imagine Homegirls fam trying to disown ha' tho! Nnmnnn Like who are they compared to her! :kii:
n
Sis they don't use :dead:
Although I don't agree with her decision to perform for Trump
I'd sad that her family would disown her over it. That's really sad
Quote from: glock on January 24, 2017, 06:42:52 PM
Quote from: TRY.It.AGAIN on January 24, 2017, 05:54:04 PM
Quote from: Uni on January 24, 2017, 04:04:37 PM
:kii:
I'm Crynhg
Let's NOT tho! :dead: Sette' Nie just Copp a few houses 🏡🏡 Flip those! Book something Substantial off the Coast...A small re-treat mess! Luxuriate in that for a bit, While you re-write your Comeback, and use this tea as your stepping stone. No shade!
I can't imagine Homegirls fam trying to disown ha' tho! Nnmnnn Like who are they compared to her! :kii:
n
Sis they don't use :dead:
:kii: :kii:
That's actually Horrible, if true! NNNM but at the end of thw Day I feel Chrisette is piecing together a Juicy comeback mess.
I doubt Mama Michelle' is sending her straight over to voicemail. :uhh:
Quote from: Mel. on January 24, 2017, 06:46:44 PM
Although I don't agree with her decision to perform for Trump
I'd sad that her family would disown her over it. That's really sad
i think she meant family as in "fans and black people" not her actually fam
Quote from: RIGS on January 24, 2017, 07:04:13 PM
Quote from: Mel. on January 24, 2017, 06:46:44 PM
Although I don't agree with her decision to perform for Trump
I'd sad that her family would disown her over it. That's really sad
i think she meant family as in "fans and black people" not her actually fam
Oh...lol
well, that's sad too...I would be disappointed if I were a fan
but it's not enough to up and say I wouldn't wanna rock with you anymore....
another pretentious church bitch. Fuck her
Quote from: RIGS on January 24, 2017, 07:04:13 PM
Quote from: Mel. on January 24, 2017, 06:46:44 PM
Although I don't agree with her decision to perform for Trump
I'd sad that her family would disown her over it. That's really sad
i think she meant family as in "fans and black people" not her actually fam
yea it took me a min to get that
she's a sick woman in the head
Quote from: BENTLEY. on January 24, 2017, 07:34:00 PM
Quote from: RIGS on January 24, 2017, 07:04:13 PM
Quote from: Mel. on January 24, 2017, 06:46:44 PM
Although I don't agree with her decision to perform for Trump
I'd sad that her family would disown her over it. That's really sad
i think she meant family as in "fans and black people" not her actually fam
yea it took me a min to get that
she's a sick woman in the head
:guys:
I don't give a shit, and I don't feel bad.. at all
that's what she gets
:blessed: :roflmao:
SHE'S TEAM TOO MUCH.. I STOPPED USING HER AFTER THAT REALITY SHOW RNBDIVAS
just don't kill yourself girl
Quote from: Beau on January 24, 2017, 10:30:14 PM
SHE'S TEAM TOO MUCH.. I STOPPED USING HER AFTER THAT REALITY SHOW RNBDIVAS
!!!!
I was over her after that