Charlamagne Tha God, known for being a host on the NYC-based radio show The Breakfast Club, virtually joined Stephen Colbert on a recent episode of The Late Show. As a guest, Charlamagne discussed systematic racism, the ongoing protests, and why he’s not shocked by news of looting.
“None of it surprises me,” Charlamagne said, speaking to Colbert about reports that over 380 cities across America have held protests. Charlamagne said he believes America has oftentimes been misportrayed as an inclusive country:
“Right now, America’s being exposed right now for the illusion it’s always been. America advertises itself as an all-inclusive resort, but it’s really a project founded by an old, rich white man for rich white men. They make the rules and then we’re all caught up in this web of white supremacy. Nothing’s going to get us out of that web until you have more privileged white men who are willing to dismantle that system by relinquishing and sharing the wealth and power. Black people, we don’t have the power to dismantle that system. We didn’t create it. We have the power to force our elected officials to change the way the system is, and that’s what the protests are doing to me.”
Charlamagne continued to point out the hypocrisy of liberty in America: “You can’t advertise liberty and justice for all but only offer liberty and justice for white folks. How many times are we supposed to watch Black people brutalized and murdered at the hands of the police? Our ancestors were enslaved and built this country for free and didn’t get anything for it and the country feels like it doesn’t have to atone for that?”
Continuing to speak about protests, Charlamagne addressed news reports of people looting various stores and offered his explanation:
“Forty-plus million people filed for unemployment and wondering how they’re going to pay their bills, their rent, put food on the table. And you wonder why people are looting? Not to mention, people are clearly not happy with the administration in the White House, so you just have this perfect storm for people who are disgusted by this white supremacist system called America. That doesn’t surprise me at all. I think America has been past its breaking point. And I’m actually shocked this is just happening now.”
Charlemagne added that people both have the right to be angry and the right to express their anger. “I think that they’re just screaming to America to make a change,” he said. “We keep talking about things ‘going back to normal.’ Normal was never working in America. It just wasn’t. How does a white supremacist system work for everybody?”
Watch Charlamagne Tha God on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert below.