Talib Kweli eviscerates CNN anchor Don Lemon during an interview on the ground in Ferguson, Missouri following one of the latest conflicts between protestors and police as people continue to demand justice in the shooting death of unarmed St. Louis teen Michael Brown. Kweli addresses hashtag activism as well as his own decision to join the protest in Ferguson at the top of the interview, stating that he “felt it was important to control the narrative because the media has been doing a horrible job of making sure that the stories get out in the right way.”
He goes on to call Don Lemon to task during the painfully uncomfortable exchange, for what he cites as CNN's improper coverage of the events in Ferguson and Lemon's repeated failure to allow him to finish his point. As the discussion becomes more tense, Kweli even threatens to walk of camera. Continuing, Kweli questions specific points made in CNN's reporting of the conflict and openly takes offense to Don Lemon's response to his presence ahead of the broadcast; Kweli points to Don Lemon's failure to greet him before going on air as a clear sign of disrespect:
"I would listen to you if you had the decency to greet me. You didn't even invite me. Nicole invited me. You didn't even say nothing to me. You were on your phone the whole time. You asked how to pronounce my name. You don't have respect for who I am."
Take a look at the footage below to view the exchange. Stay tuned for more as the conflict continues to unfold in Ferguson, Missouri.
