Eric Clapton’s Racist Rant Resurfaces After He Complains About Coronavirus Restrictions
Guitar legend Eric Clapton is receiving backlash for a "protest" song about refusing to adhere to guidelines to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. He and other musicians are reportedly deeply “upset” that they can’t perform live concerts. Now, racist comments have surfaced that the “Tears From Heaven” songwriter made back in 1976.
Clapton, 75, told Variety about a song he is doing with singer-songwriter Van Morrison, "There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration."
Morrison has compared lockdowns to slavery.
Clapton continued, "We must stand up and be counted because we need to find a way out of this mess. The alternative is not worth thinking about. Live music might never recover."
The comments did not sit well with many people on social media, including Legendary co-host Jameela Jamil.
Jamil reminded folks of Clapton’s 1976 racist rant, tweeting, “Clapton continuing to take home the top prize for dumbest c*ck on this planet. this is the man who wants you to go outside while he sits all safe in his mansion with the best doctors available to him.”
Jamil refers to Clapton's comments at a 1976 concert where he said , "Not just leave the hall, leave our country... I don't want you here, in the room or in my country.”
Clapton continued, "The Black w—s and c—s and Arabs and f—ing Jamaicans don't belong here, we don't want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don't want any Black w—s and c—s living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome."
He also said England is "a white country" made "for white people."
In Clapton’s 2018 documentary Life in 12 Bars, he addressed the comments by saying he was "full-tilt" racist at the time and “I did really offensive things. I was a nasty person… I think it was based on the Arabic invasion."
He claimed he was drunk and anti-immigrant sentiments in England affected him, "There was this sort of air of this in the early 70s. I'm not excusing myself. It was an awful thing to do.”
When asked what he thought of the comments now, he said, I think it's funny actually."
According to The Guardian, over 59,000 people have died from the coronavirus in England, and over 1.6 million have been infected.
