CeeLo Green stirs controversy for wearing Confederate flag
CeeLo Green is the latest musician to turn the Confederate flag into a fashion statement.
The singer and rapper donned a Confederate flag hoodie in an Instagram post shared on Thursday. He captioned the picture with the hashtags, “soul,” “rebel.” In response, hundreds of his fans expressed their distaste for his choice of clothing.
“Love you lo, but you bout to get unfollowed,” one commenter wrote under the post.
“You could’ve kept this one to yourself, unc,” another fan wrote.
The Goodie Mob member’s other two posts on Thursday included a picture of him with the African American flag and the American flag.
Green is certainly not the first Atlanta artist to wear the Confederate flag, which has long symbolized white supremacy. Some have described it as an act of rebellion.
The flag is prominently featured in the cover art for Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz’s 2001 album “Put Yo Hood Up.” Lil Jon also wore the flag in the video for “Bia’ Bia’.”
At the time, Lil Jon told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he wanted to slight supporters of the flag while also celebrating his Southern heritage.
“For me to wear that flag is like me going out with their daughters,” Lil Jon told the AJC’s A. Scott Walton in 2001.
“We’re Southern-born and raised. The flag is part of us. We just look at it as being proud to say we’re from the South.”
André 3000 wore the flag on his belt buckle in the video for OutKast’s 2000 hit “Ms. Jackson.”
“I wear the belt for southern pride and to rebel, I don’t take the confederate flag that serious as far as the racial part is concerned,” he told Vibe magazine at the time.
Other Atlanta rappers like Ludacris and Pastor Troy have also worn the flag.
Kanye West, who was born in Atlanta but raised in Chicago, is perhaps the most notable example of a Black artist endorsing the flag. Along with wearing the flag, the rapper also sold merchandise with the Civil War-era image in 2013, stating that he “took the Confederate flag and made it my flag.”
Reps for CeeLo Green could not be immediately reached for more information.
About the Author
DeAsia is a music and culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She focuses on the intersection of arts, culture and diverse communities, as well as how emerging social trends are being expressed through the lens of the Atlanta aesthetic. DeAsia's work can be seen in Pitchfork, Essence, Teen Vogue, Elle and more.
