Jos

Na de vrijspraak van Zimmerman in de Trayvon Martin-zaak heeft José James zijn optredens in Florida afgezegd. Trayvon Martin werd in februari doodgeschoten door buurtwachter Zimmerman. José legt zijn keuze uit:
"When I was Trayvon's age I was brutally assaulted by a white man in broad daylight walking on the street I grew up on in Minneapolis.. He provoked me verbally, then jumped out of his car as I walked past + strangled me. I was 14 actually, about to enter high school.. I was assaulted in full view of half a dozen others, all white people, who just watched. In front of my old corner store.. Including the guy who used to babysit me, who was working in the store.. He beat me + no one helped or said a word. This guy was like 3x my size + only stopped when his girlfriend said "all right! You're bigger than him! Lets go!" Because he was choking me to death.
As I walked away in pain, in shame, helpless, my mom + her boyfriend drove past. We chased the car, got the license plate #.. We lost them on the freeway.. We filed a police report + an officer came to our house 3 hours later. The officer interviewed me, then told me it was my fault for provoking him + that I needed to "watch out" in the future. End of story. I love my fans but I am canceling all my shows in Florida". Het is een zaak die leeft onder meer artiesten. Onder meer The Roots drummer Questlove heeft via een blog laten weten dat hij verdrietig en boos is over de uitspraak van de rechter en Björk heeft er tijdens haar laatste optreden ook bij stil gestaan.