A local rapper and restaurant owner has now issued an apology for a recent video criticizing San Francisco Mayor London Breed and her handling of the city's crime, drugs and homelessness problems.
Some are asking why the rapper is apologizing at all, while others, including the head of the San Francisco NAACP, are questioning if the apology was even truthful.
"Went to the media and told the untruth that he had been threatened by someone high in powers and had influence all the way to the state and to the nation," said Rev. Amos Brown, head of the NAACP's San Francisco chapter.
Rapper Chino Yang in his apology posted on Instagram said "I had no idea this extremely powerful individual has so much emotional attachment to London Breed, so with that being said; I'm sorry for my ignorance, I'm sorry for my foolishness and impulsiveness."
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Yang in a video posted before his apology referenced the mayor twice. In one part he flips her off and then specifically names her in another. In much of the video, Yang voices frustration about having his business broken into seven times since 2020 and decries the rise in crime and drug use on the city streets.
A stream of Black pastors, community leaders, and Latino and Asian allies echoed Brown's concerns during a news conference held Thursday. Some also said they reached out to Yang about the video.
NBC Bay Area has reached out to the Mayor's Office and the re-election campaign for Mayor London Breed for comment. Both said they had no comment on the video and had no coordination with Thursday's news conference.
Yang exchanged text messages with NBC Bay Area and said he is currently away at a secluded retreat recovering from a heart attack. He was unavailable for comment.
Some have defended Yang, saying his criticism is valid and he does not owe the city any apology.
Community leader Leanna Louie was at Thursday's news conference and questions if it all had to play out this way.
"I don't think this is necessary," Louie said. "I think they could have just asked him to go out to dinner or go to his place -- maybe share a meal together."
