Chance the Rapper Shows Support After Ben & Jerry’s Co-Fo…
Chance the Rapper praised Ben & Jerry’s after its co-founder, Jerry Greenfield, announced his decision to leave the ice cream company.
Greenfield shared a statement via co-founder Ben Cohen on Tuesday (Sept. 16), explaining his decision to leave came after Ben & Jerry’s parent company Unilever cracked down on the independence to speak out on social issues.
Chance retweeted the statement on Wednesday, sharing his praise for Greenfield and Cohen and disappointment over the reason for the co-founder’s departure.
“Ben & Jerry’s is the only major company I know of that has repeatedly lobbied for Black American Reparations,” Chance wrote. “Two older men with access who have no incentive other than justice, are now being punished and silenced for their unwavering support of Palestine. I’m not heartbroken, im galvanized. We continue to fight the good fight.”
In Greenfield’s statement, he said he “can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain” with the company that he and Cohen founded in 1978. Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s for $326 million in 2000, according to the Associated Press.
“For more than twenty years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world,” Cohen’s statement said.
Cohen said that “independence” was a large part of the merger agreement between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever but that the corporation reneged on its promise.
“It’s happening at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community,” Greenfield said. “Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power.”
Tensions have mounted between the ice cream brand and Unilever in recent years, especially as Ben & Jerry’s aimed to support Palestinians under attack from Israel.
Chance has been vocal about his criticism of the Trump administration, most recently wearing a “Fuck ICE” chain amid increased federal raids and detainment of immigrants in the U.S.