In a shake-up for Philadelphia’s 4th of July celebration, hip-hop legend LL Cool J pulled out of the city’s Wawa Welcome America concert at the very last minute Monday, but not before parting with a powerful message.
The Grammy Award-winning entertainer Instagrammed late Thursday night to alert fans that he didn’t make a cameo on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway this 4th of July, citing his support for striking city workers. The strike work stoppage, led by AFSCME District Council 33, began on July 1, and it’s the city’s largest municipal walkout since 1980.
“And there is just no way that I can do, go to work, cross a picket line and sit at a table and pretend, when outside there’s thousands of people fighting for a living wage.” LL said in an emotional video. “I’m not doing that, you understand what I’m saying?”
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That sentiment has reverberated throughout the city and across local government, with more than 9,000 essential workers, including sanitation crews, 911 dispatchers, and water department staffers, stopping their work. The effects have been swift: trash collections have been delayed, morgue services have been strained, and tensions have mounted in a face-off between union leaders and city officials. Union reps balked at the city’s 8% raise offer over three years, arguing it wasn’t enough to keep up with rising living costs.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, who has had her hands full trying to navigate the fallout, responded to LL Cool J’s decision with grace and understanding.
“I have personally spoken to LL Cool today,” Parker said in a statement. “I respect his decision to keep the city united. He is always with us in Philadelphia.”
Her cautious reaction was a diplomatic note at a moment of inflamed tensions. The mayor, now deftly navigating the thicket of a significant labor dispute, seems to understand the import of LL’s stance and even the message it sends, not just to concertgoers but to city leadership.
LL Cool J, for his part, was quick to point out that it wasn’t a case of turning his back on fans; if anything, the opposite. He added that he is still in town and optimistic that a resolution can be found.
“I just hope that we can make a deal with the mayor, the city, that this all works out,” he said. “I’m still going to come to Philly in the event it does happen. I will be in town, y’all. I want to tell you that I’m not crossing a picket line to play for money while people are being hurt.”
In a tough-talking city known for its grit, resilience, and defiance of laws and sometimes good sense, LL Cool J’s announcement has more profound significance than a skipped concert. It’s a wink to the very roots of what July 4, 2025, is supposed to mean: standing up for freedom, fairness, and the people.
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