STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Killer Mike Will Not Open His Georgia Barbershops On Friday

The rapper and activist owns Swag Shop.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is under fire after announcing plans to reopen the state for business starting April 24 despite the coronavirus continuing to spread. 

However, Killer Mike’s barbershop is one Atlanta business that will not be open. 

Mike owns Swag Shop, which is a chain of barbershops in Georgia. He told TMZ, “Our first concern is the safety of our employees and the safety of our customers. We have an incentive to open, we could use that incentive, and we definitely wanna make money. [But] at this time, as a business, we aren’t comfortable opening. We’re gonna wait a while before we reopen.”

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He also told the outlet,  “As a citizen in the community where people look like me, I’m choosing to stay closed because I don’t want to endanger [anybody]. And a lot of times, politicians have different views of things. I think governors and mayors should all get on the phone together because as your constituents, we need you to do that.”
Watch below:

Many Georgians have been outraged at Kemp’s decision to reopen. 

Stacey Abrams, who ran against Kemp for governor, posted on Twitter, “Georgia: 14th highest infection/7th lowest testing rate; less econ resilient & 1000s of low-wage workers already forced to risk their lives to make a living. Weakened healthcare w/closed rural hospitals, no Medicaid expansion & a doctor shortage. Reopen? Dangerously incompetent.”

For the latest on the coronavirus, check out BET’s blog on the virus, and contact your local health department or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

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