Jay-Z and Beyonce bailed out Baltimore and Ferguson protesters: Report

"When we needed money for bail for Baltimore protestors, I hit Jay up ... wired tens of thousands in minutes"

Published May 18, 2015 12:12AM (EDT)

FILE - This Jan. 21, 2013 file photo shows recording artists Jay-Z and Beyonce at the Capitol in Washington for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Jay-Z and Beyonce sat tightly with Solange. Kelly Rowland embraced Beyonce with a huge hug. And Rihanna spilled some of her drink laughing with Rowland as Music's top stars attended the annual pre-Grammy Roc Nation brunch on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Soho House in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards.  (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool, file)           (AP)
FILE - This Jan. 21, 2013 file photo shows recording artists Jay-Z and Beyonce at the Capitol in Washington for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Jay-Z and Beyonce sat tightly with Solange. Kelly Rowland embraced Beyonce with a huge hug. And Rihanna spilled some of her drink laughing with Rowland as Music's top stars attended the annual pre-Grammy Roc Nation brunch on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Soho House in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards. (AP Photo/Win McNamee, Pool, file) (AP)

The writer and activist dream hampton -- in a series of quickly deleted tweets -- that Jay-Z and Beyonce have quietly put up the money to bail protesters out of jail in Ferguson and in Baltimore, and that they have been essential backers of the #blacklivesmatter movement.

Complex magazine grabbed screen shots of the tweets before they were taken down, and it's a fascinating series of posts. You can see and read them all here.

Here's how Complex tells the story:

dream hampton — social justice organizer, writer, and award-winning filmmaker — just unloaded an enlightening, reality-checking series of tweets. ...

The Decoded contributor also spoke openly about Jay Z's numerous private contributions to the resistance, indirectly confronting the constant flurry of detractors who repeatedly hurl claims of hypocrisy at Jay and Beyoncé surrounding their perceived silence on the issues surrounding Ferguson, Baltimore, and protests in general. In short, the Carters have — according to dream hampton — privately donated large amounts of money to ease the burden of posting bail for protestors, as well as other equally impactful donations that are simply "too much to list."

Check out the entire story here.

 


By Salon Staff

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Baltimore Beyonce #blacklivesmatter Dream Hampton Ferguson Jay-z