NEWS
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., thanked Justin Bieber for supporting the King Center and its Be Love campaign as part of the singer’s philanthropic efforts around his new album, Justice.
Bieber’s new album, Justice, notably features a handful of MLK audio clips. The opening track, “2 Much,” starts with one of the most famous quotes from King’s 1963 “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” — “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Later, the “MLK Interlude” comprises audio from a sermon MLK delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in November 1967 that begins, “I say to you this morning, if you have never found something so dear and so precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.”
On Twitter, Bieber announced that he would be “supporting organizations that embody what justice looks like in action.” Along with the King Center, those include the Anti Recidivism Coalition, Alexandria House, the Compton Pledge, Baby2Baby, the Equal Justice Initiative, LIFT, Self Help Graphics and Art, This Is About Humanity, and the Poor People’s Campaign.
“Each of us, including artists and entertainers, can do something,” King wrote on Twitter in response to Bieber. “Thank you, @justinbieber, for your support, in honor of #Justice, of @TheKingCenter’s work and of our #BeLove campaign, which is a part of our global movement for justice. #MLK #EndRacism.”
While Bieber’s use of MLK’s speeches has drawn some criticism, it ostensibly has the support of the King estate, which must approve and license any use of King’s papers or speeches. Neither Bernice King nor a representative for Intellectual Properties Management, which handles licensing for the King estate, immediately returned Rolling Stone’s request for comment regarding the use of MLK’s work on Justice.
In a Vogue recap of a recent virtual Justice listening party Bieber hosted with journalists, Bieber explained why he wanted to include the MLK audio on his new album: “What I wanted to do with this was amplify [Dr.] Martin Luther King Jr’s voice to this generation,” Bieber said. “Being Canadian, it wasn’t so much a part of my culture.”
Regarding the “MLK Interlude” specifically, Bieber said: “This speech was actually during the time when [he had] a feeling that he was going to die for the cause, and what he was standing up against was ultimately racism and division. I think his message was that a lot of people can be afraid to stand up for what is right, but if you’re not standing up for justice — for what is right — what are you doing with your life? I’m sorry to get so deep, but these are the times we’re living in. That’s why I wanted to make this album because I think it’s very timely and very necessary.”
Faith No More appear to be hinting at a return to the stage in 2027.
The influential alt-metal band have remained mostly quiet over the past decade following the release of their reunion album ‘Sol Invictus’ in 2015. After its arrival, they played what would become their most recent live performances in 2016 and later called off several touring plans in the years that followed.
Now, however, they seem to be preparing fans for something new. The group recently shared an image of a concert crowd on social media with nothing more than the text “2027” placed across it.
No additional information accompanied the post, but it quickly sparked speculation among fans, many of whom believe a full scale tour announcement could be coming next year.
After wrapping up their 2016 run of shows, the band intended to return to the road in 2020. Those plans were ultimately abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further touring plans surfaced in 2021 as venues began reopening, but those dates were also cancelled before they could begin. Frontman Mike Patton later explained that mental health struggles were behind the decision and revealed he had been diagnosed with agoraphobia during the pandemic.
Until recently, a reunion seemed unlikely. Patton spoke about Faith No More’s lengthy break and said that he did not “see it as a sad thing”.
Speaking on the Kyle Meredith With… podcast and reflecting on whether he felt a “sense of closure” after the 2016 tour, the vocalist said: “I didn’t really think so at the time, but, yeah, maybe. I think that we all kind of felt it, but it was unspoken.”
“It’s funny: when you’ve been in a band or a musical situation for a period of time, you always, in the back of your head, you’re kind of thinking, ‘Well, maybe this is it.’ And I don’t mind that feeling,” he added. “I don’t see it as a sad thing. I see it as being present and being able to really appreciate it while it’s happening.”
Faith No More have never formally announced a breakup following the cancellation of their 2021 tour, although other members have suggested in recent years that the chances of touring again were uncertain.
Last year, guitarist Roddy Bottum discussed the band's future and admitted they were in a “really weird spot”. “I can’t really tell you what’s going on. I don’t know myself. I get different information from people… and I’m in the band,” he said.
Drummer Mike Bordin echoed similar thoughts last spring, saying that he and some of the other members were willing to perform again, but claimed Patton was “unwilling to do shows with us”.
In addition to leading Faith No More since 1989 after replacing original singer Chuck Mosley, Patton has also been involved with projects including Mr Bungle, Fantômas, and Tomahawk.
Tomahawk recently unveiled plans for their first tour in 13 years, with a series of US dates scheduled for this summer. The run begins in Nashville next month and will also see Patton and his bandmates reunite with longtime labelmates Melvins for the first time since 2003.
Patton has also recently launched his tour with Avett Brothers and teamed up with Jehnny Beth on the new single ‘Look At Me’.
