Pharrell, Questlove, Chaka Khan and Others Address Kim Burrell’s Anti-Gay Remarks
Kim Burrell is receiving a ton of backlash over anti-gay remarks she made during a recent sermon at her Houston church. As we previously reported, the viral video features the gospel singer and pastor talking to her congregation about sin and referring to gays and lesbians as perverted.
In several Facebook Live videos, Burrell delivered a non-apology in regards to her homophobic remarks. “I never said LGBT” in the sermon, Burrell said in the first video. “I said S-I-N.”
“To every person that is dealing with the homosexual spirit, that has it, I love you because God loves you,” she continued. “But God hates the sin in you and me, anything that is against the nature of God. I’m called to do what God called me to do, and that’s it, and I do it with passion.”
In another video, Burrell clarified that she “never said that all gays were going to hell."
The video surfaced just days before Burrell is scheduled to appear on The Ellen show with Pharrell Williams to perform a song from the Hidden Figures soundtrack. The host, Ellen DeGeneres, is gay and and has been happily married to her wife, Portia di Rossi, for eight years.
Pharrell, as well as Hidden Figures co-stars Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae addressed the controversy on social media Saturday (Dec. 31).
"I condemn hate speech of any kind. There is no room in this world for any kind of prejudice. My greatest hope is for inclusion and love for all humanity for 2017 and beyond," said Pharrell.
Fellow musicians Questlove, Chaka Khan and Yolanda Adams also issued responses to Kim Burrell's remarks. You can read them all below.
Reps for Kim Burrell had no comment on the matter.