Cue the violins.
Malik Yoba has broken his silence weeks after that catastrophic on-camera interview with The Root’s senior reporter Terrell Jermaine Starr nearly broke the internet.
On Friday, the New York Undercover star took to Instagram, seemingly to address the damage to his image following a recent admission of being “trans-attracted” which later led to allegations that he solicited sex from a minor decades ago.
Under a black and white image of a quote stating: “Strong People Stand Up For Themselves, But Stronger People Stand Up For Others,” the embattled actor wrote a lengthy caption about haters, being free and having courage.
“You know you’re doing the right thing when even the haters are happy being mad at you,” said the provocative social media post, which drew close to 4,000 likes and 272 comments by Saturday morning.
“The world ain’t always ready for all people to be free. Some people will easily forget the oppression and subjugation of our own yet condemn others with no remorse or remembrance of that history.”
The 52-year-old Bronx native continued: “Someone will always have to feel someone else is less worthy or deserving to make themselves feel better. Someone always has to attempt to judge and demean others just to make themselves feel more powerful. Still others will always have to feel that their opinion is all that matters above all else.
“But those of us with the COURAGE to stand in the gap of understanding between ignorance and wisdom, love and hate, that resiliently stand for truth and acceptance in the face of all resistance to the contrary and steadfastly endeavor to make sure that we all have a seat at the table THOSE are my heroes and comrades,” he added.
In closing, Yoba wished his “fam” a happy Friday and encouraged them to “be a hero for somebody other than yourself and understand that NONE OF US ARE FREE UNTIL WE ALL ARE FREE🙏🏾💯👊🏾 #onelove”
Okay now.
The former City Kids Foundation vice president seemed to have had some time (and guidance) on how to tread these difficult times, which during the fiery on-camera exchange with The Root, he admitted has troubled his “fucking life.”
The new social media statement is a more redeeming attempt at addressing the controversy—much better than that freestyle rap he posted and later deleted from Instagram.