GM, Activists to Meet over Kid Rock's Confederate Flag

Kid Rock had some choice words for protesters asking him to stop performing in front of the Confederate battle flag at his concerts. (Photo via Flickr)

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General Motors said Tuesday it would meet with activists who want the company to end Chevrolet’s sponsorship of Kid Rock’s current concert tour because the superstar refuses to renounce the Confederate battle flag and retire it from his performances.

In a statement, GM said it had been in touch with and would meet later this week the Rev. Charles Williams III, president of the Michigan Chapter of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network,

Last week, the NAN called on the Detroit Historical Museum to remove Rock’s name from a Detroit music history exhibit that Rock helped finance. The group also asked General Motors to withdraw its Chevrolet brand’s sponsorship of Rock’s First Kiss: Cheap Date Tour because of increasing scrutiny of the battle flag as increasingly as a racist symbol.

Related:

• Activists Want Kid Rock to Abandon Confederate Flag
• Kid Rock’s Profane Message to Confederate Flag Protesters

GM said representatives of Chevrolet would meet with Williams “to better understand his concerns.”

“We need to let some open and constructive dialogue occur as a first step, and we’ll go from there,” according to the statement.

Rock hasn’t publicly commented on the controversy. But as pressure mounted for him to distance himself from a battle flag that has been associated with racial hatred, Rock said in a statement to Fox News that protestors could “kiss my a**.”

Its unclear if GM is wavering in its support for the Detroit country-hip-hop-rock star’s tour. Last week, the automaker seemed unequivocally supportive.

“We are committed to our sponsorship of Kid Rock’s summer tour and are confident that he will provide his fans, many of whom are proud Chevrolet owners, with a spectacular concert experience that celebrates American Freedom,” the statement read.