Musicians Advocate for Gun Control in Light of El Paso and Dayton Mass Shootings

From Rihanna to Kacey Musgraves, voices in music continue to call for gun control

By Marissa Matozzo  |  August 5, 2019 | 5:51pm
Photos by Jamie McCarthy/Getty, Noam Galai/Getty Music News Kacey Musgraves
Musicians Advocate for Gun Control in Light of El Paso and Dayton Mass Shootings

The entire nation and music world are reeling from two devastating mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, that claimed the lives of at least 31 people this weekend.

Calls for gun control, background checks for firearm owners and lawmaking rather than the now-infamous saying “thoughts and prayers,” have been trending on social media ever since this weekend’s back-to-back tragedies.

Musicians including Rihanna, Kacey Musgraves, Khalid, Cardi B, Nikki Sixx and Sebastian Bach, among others, have all advocated for gun control in the days following the mass murders.

On Sunday, Rihanna shared a screenshot of a Trump tweet in which he wrote that he “condemned” the shooting and dubbed it an “act of cowardice.”

The pop singer, philanthropist and fashion designer then wrote to Trump that he had “spelt ‘terrorism’ wrong,” criticized his support of a border wall, included facts about recent shootings, offered her condolences to victims and powerfully used her caption as a message to her followers. “Imagine a world where it’s easier to get an AK-47 than a VISA!” Rihanna wrote, “Imagine a world where they build a wall to keep terrorists IN AMERICA!!!”

Um… Donald, you spelt “terrorism” wrong! Your country had 2 terrorist attacks back to back, hours apart leaving almost 30 innocent people dead. This, just days after yet another terrorist attack in California, where a terrorist was able to LEGALLY purchase an assault rifle (AK-47) in Vegas, then drive hours to a food festival in Cali leaving 6 more people dead including a young infant baby boy! Imagine a world where it’s easier to get an AK-47 than a VISA! Imagine a world where they build a wall to keep terrorists IN AMERICA!!! My prayers and deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims and the communities affected and traumatized, from Texas, California, and Ohio! I’m so sorry for your loss! Nobody deserves to die like this! NOBODY!

A post shared by badgalriri; (@badgalriri) on

During her set at Lollapolooza 2019 on Sunday, country-pop star Kacey Musgraves encouraged her crowd to chant with her, “Somebody f*cking do something!” referring to lawmakers and gun control. “I don’t know what the answer is,” Musgraves said during her performance, “but something obviously something has to be f*cking done.”

She then posted a series of tweets on Monday, writing to Trump that he has “the power to become a hero” if he acted on creating gun control legislation and that true leaders “don’t stand back and watch the world burn.”

Musgraves also defended her position by opening up about her childhood in Texas and owning guns, writing, “There’s a time and place for that and even self protection in ways .. but this is different. The system is majorly flawed and nobody needs anything remotely automatic. Period.”

She then encouraged her followers to hold their politicians and the president “accountable,” to “start paying attention to actual ways” to “make change happen,” and later retweeted a link informing readers how to contact each state’s senators and representatives.

Hip-hop icon Cardi B wrote to Trump on Sunday in several tweets. “Law enforcement took rapid action but what are YOU going to do to control some of your RACIST SUPPORTERS?” the rapper wrote regarding pro-gun advocates and his supporters.

Cardi B then responded to a commenter who suggested she should “stick to music” and that the issue was “beyond her scope.”

“You can’t ignore the slowly but surely racial war that going on in this country that are the reasons of these tragedy,” she wrote in a tweet.

Pop superstar Khalid attended high school in El Paso. He also took to Twitter on Monday to vocalize his sadness regarding the recent shootings and dubbed the El Paso tragedy “an act of terrorism.”

“Hearing/seeing an act of terrorism happen so close to home, my family, and my friends has been unbelievable and shocking,” Khalid wrote. He also announced he is planning a benefit concert later this month, with all of the proceeds going “to the families affected by the shooting.”

Classic rock legend Nikki Sixx, the co-founder and bassist of Mötley Crue, also tweeted to Trump in light of the tragedies.

“I’m f*cking sick of hearing about innocent people being slaughtered city after city in this great country,” he wrote.

He also urged followers in the El Paso area to donate blood to the victims.

Fellow classic-rock star and Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach tweeted his thoughts on the issue, writing that Trump should not use religious terminology when not creating gun control legislation and compared U.S. shootings to the lack thereof in Australia.

“Mental illness and hatred exist in Australia but mass shootings do not,” he wrote in one tweet.

“In the Bible, leaders that allow this illustrate the bad parables, not the GREAT ones. Stop using His name,” he wrote in another.

From mainstream pop stars to classic rock icons, many in music are continuing to advocate for gun control in light of the recent shootings. Many have done so after the recent tragedies in Orlando, San Bernadino, Sandy Hook and sadly so many more.

With links, hashtags and calls for change, many are encouraging younger generations to do their part, vote, gain knowledge on gun control, and spread the word about possible solutions with the 2020 election approaching.

Listen to Musgraves’ 2015 Daytrotter Session below.

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