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Kelis: ‘I was called a slave at London airport’

Singer claims she was racially abused while airport worker did nothing
14/09/2011 02:07 PM

CLAIMS: Singer Kelis claims she was racially abused by a London airport worker

SINGER KELIS has launched an angry Twitter rant after claiming she was racially abused at a London airport.

The Milkshake star, who was returning to America after performing at Bestival on the Isle Of Wight over the weekend, claims that a “fat red faced sweaty man” called her a “slave” because he believed she had jumped the passport control queue.

“We get in the passport control line and apparently p**sed this one man off cause he thought I cut the line. Which wouldn’t be far fetched of me but this time I actually didn’t,” she explained.

This, she says, is when the man began his racist tirade.

“[He] started calling me a slave and told me to call him sir and how I was probably a disgusting nigerian. He called me kunta kinte and ranted and raved some more. The man behind the passport desk laughed, shook his head in agreement I guess, and said “kunta kinte [sic],” she said.

Although the singer, who was with her two-year-old son, Knight, admits she retaliated to the racial taunts, she admitted that incident had made her believe the UK was 'decades behind progression'.

“We all no (sic) I'm no saint, so I retaliated. Not the way I wanted to or how that pig deserved. But #1 my gorgeous baby boy was literally sitting on my hip and #2 I'm a believer. And we are better. Supposed to be,” she said.

She continued: “I didn't say anything at the time of the riots in London for a lot of reasons. But I am in London all the time and today I'm gonna say that the racial issues in the UK are disgusting.

“Its racially decades behind progression because everything is swept under the rug. People don't talk about it. People don't fight about it. Not mentioning a problem doesn't make it go away.”

She added: “I bring it up now because as an American it is abundantly clear that my country has a Smorgasbord of disgusting racial problems.

Rude awakening: Kelis was queuing at passport control when the alleged incident took place

“We are the poster child for racial inequality even still with a black president. But its NO SECRET! And that I can fight against. I can try to prepare and teach my son. Because its out there. But you can't fight for or against something no one is willing to talk about or even admit exist.”

A spokesman for the Runnymede Trust, the U.K.’s leading independent race equality group, told WENN.com: “It’s worth noting that we’re not a multi-racial paradise in the U.K. but there is a fight back here, and there are lots of ways in which musicians like Kelis can contribute to that. Things like the UpRise music festival in London – 10,000 people making it clear they are against racism.

“But I don’t think we have got a huge amount to learn from America in terms of the racism that operates over there. We are struggling against racism in the same way as people are in the States.”

Posted on: 14/09/2011 02:07 PM

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dere

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Only in this country someone look in a victims face and try to twist things.
You cannot abuse a woman infront of a child and think something is right with that picture.

Only women beater and child abuser will think other-wise.

Thu, 2011-09-15 20:55

wakey wakey, new record out soon...

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

You do realise that in the queue of 50, if what she said, had indeed been said, it wasn't by anyone claiming to be British, she would have been in the non-EU International line(notwithstanding the 3 hour flight), nowhere near any British passport holders line.
She has a reputation for creating shock but I'm aware that Americans think Britain is racist, she herself presumed the riots were a racial one only from what she saw on TV...
I don't think you need me to spell out the irony

Wed, 2011-09-14 22:55

She did Nas dirty but she's

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

She did Nas dirty but she's on point with her politics - Britain is a racist country. I would spazz out on someone if they ever tried to call me that.

Wed, 2011-09-14 22:47

I hope you are all awake out there

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

You do realise that in the queue of 50, if what she said, had indeed been said, it wasn't by anyone claiming to be British, she would have been in the non-EU International line, nowhere near any British passport holders line.
She has a reputation for creating shock but I'm aware that Americans think Britain is racist, she herself presumed the riots were a racial one only from what she saw on TV...
I don't think you need me to spell out the irony

Wed, 2011-09-14 22:28

kimmy

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

I believe the man who targeted kelis already knew who his target was going to be. It was already planned, the whites who belong to the white supremacy sites stalk and abuse certain singers, artists, or black business people, if they feel threatened by them.

That white man was just made to look as if he was just an ordinary white man, but there is more to him than that.

I also knew why she was his target and for which other artist behalf it was for.

What the white supremacists do is pass around your name, and you are being watched and they target you so that you will retaliate and become hated or alienated from others.

They are trying to get something from her, just like what some white supremacists has done to me in the past.

They were trying to get me to lose my job, and then pass me off as a mentally ill black person but all the tricks in the book didnt work.

I kept my cool all through the years until they stop sending their white hit men and women after me.

I bet lots of high profiled black people didnt know that whites were planning for them, when they lead them into a trap then take their jobs.

You have to learn to become your own detective and read between the lines.

Wed, 2011-09-14 22:06

RE:

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

How does she know the man was from the UK? She was at an airport so he could have been from anywhere.

If it happend then of course it is disgusting, but he could have been from anywhere.

Is the UK racist? Yes it is. But worse then the States? Do me a favour.

Wed, 2011-09-14 21:26

should have spat in his

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

should have spat in his face!!

Wed, 2011-09-14 17:45

Kelis: I was called a slave at London airport.

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

The UK "decades behind progression", oh how I agree with that statement. I have been living here since May 2011 and the opinions I have formed of the UK so far are mostly negative, and racially negative I might add. I formed my unbiased views based on what I read in various newspapers and what I view on various TV channels.

I really thought the UK was a first class, first rate country, I feel very differently about that now. I am extremely disappointed and disturbed by the mind set of the majority and racial state of affairs here. There is a definite disproportionate balance between the treatment of ethnic minority and rest of normal society. I expected better from the land of royalties.

My concerns need serious legislative changes and enforcement of the laws and rules to affect change and get the UK up to current times where all human beings are treated equally and not be subjected to abuse by people put in a position of authority. What a disgrace!

To Kelis: know who you are as a successful and beautiful black woman person and don't allow ignorant, simple minded racist people to upset your mental balance. I know it may be tough to stay quiet while someone racially berates you. I learnt to never argue with an idiot, people will get confused as to who is who. Don't stoop to the level of ignorance that people will try to take you. Silence is golden. You may have seen that the more you spoke to and acknowledged the man, the more he keeps up his racial antics. He really wasn't worthy of your attention. Unfortunately ignorant people exist and it is hard to avoid them, because they are everywhere.

Wed, 2011-09-14 17:18