Roland Martin Slams Tyrese Over “Asian Hate Crime Bill” Rant: “Learn To Fact-Check” 

Roland Martin is calling out Tyrese over remarks he made about the so-called Asian Hate Crime Bill. 

The R&B singer recently ranted about the bill during an Instagram Live Chat with renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump. He criticized President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for “prioritizing the Asian Hate Crime Bill,” over Black victims of racially motivated crimes. 

However, journalist and political commentator Roland Martin responded to Tyrese amid the online backlash. In a video posted on Instagram Sunday (September 1), Martin repeatedly called Tyrese out for lying and insisted he was “100 percent wrong.” He explained that while the bill referenced attacks on Asian Americans, it is not limited to any one group of people.  

“Tyrese, you do not know what you’re talking about,” Martin began. “That video where you’re talking about an anti-Asian crime bill, that is a lie. Please learn to fact-check before you start talking.” 

Roland Martin Responds To Tyrese’s Complaints Over Bills Specific To Black People

He clarified, “It does not only apply to Asian Americans. It applies to everybody.” Martin also addressed another of Tyrese’s points about legal protection for Black Americans.  

“There have been three hate crimes bills specific to African Americans. The first one, you’re dealing with the Civil Rights Act in ‘64, okay. Then you also had the hate crimes bill that dealt with when Black churches were being burned,” he added. “And then of course you had the lynching bill that was also signed.” 

Roland Martin tagged Tyrese in the caption and called on him and other celebrities to get their facts straight before making public statements. 

In his rant, Tyrese claimed Biden and Harris “signed an Asian Hate Crime Bill, which makes it beyond illegal to ever purposely or maliciously do anything to anybody in the Asian community.”   

He added, “There is a crime bill that was signed into law that protects Asians at all costs. Where is that same f###### law to be enacted for Black and Brown people?”