Hezekiah Walker performed his uplifting worship anthem “Every Praise” toward the end of George Floyd’s private memorial in Minneapolis, Minn. Thursday (June 4).
Reverend Al Sharpton introduced the gospel singer and pastor of the Brooklyn, N.Y. megachurch Love Fellowship Tabernacle, who flew in for the service held at North Central University in downtown Minneapolis. Celebrities such as Ludacris, T.I., Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish sat front row.
“Let’s have some church for a little while, y’all ready to have some church? I came all the way from Brooklyn, New York to do this for George and the family. The song says ‘Every Praise’ and that is unto our God,” Walker recited the main lyric in dedication to Floyd, a Black man who died by asphyxiation after a local white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes last Monday (May 25).
The 57-year-old artist encouraged the face mask-clad attendees to stand on their feet for the performance, clapping along while the band and backup singers socially distanced themselves on stage for the lively chorus. A picture of the prominent colorful mural of Floyd at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis remained projected in the background.
Jump to the 1:44:36 minute mark to catch Walker’s full performance at Floyd’s memorial, as well as the Twitter reactions to his performance and the celebrity appearances, below.
