NLE Choppa has spoken out against COVID-19 vaccinations in a show of support for NBA star Kyrie Irving.
In a string of Twitter posts, NLE Choppa criticized vaccine mandates on Wednesday. The 18-year-old rapper began by tweeting “Stand on it king @KyrieIrving” before elaborating on his stance.
“F### all jobs, schools, and sport teams who are forcing people to take vaccines,” he wrote. “When will we realize we are the need, without us there’s no them. I don’t mind people taking the vaccine but for the people who refuses to take it how is it right for them to be jobless ‼️”
NLE Choppa said he had no issue with anyone taking the COVID-19 vaccine, but he made it clear he was an anti-vaxxer. In a subsequent tweet, he declared he’d stop making music if he had to get the vaccine.
“I’ll be damn if I had to take a vaccine to make music on god y’all wouldn’t hear another song from me,” he tweeted.
NLE Choppa’s backing of Kyrie Irving comes at a time when it’s unclear if the Brooklyn Nets guard will play in the 2021-2022 NBA season. The NBA isn’t forcing its players to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but mandates in some cities will prevent unvaccinated players from entering their home arenas.
New York City’s COVID-19 guidelines have essentially made vaccination a requirement for the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks. Each team’s roster must have at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to play in home games or practice at their team facilities.
The NBA has a vaccination rate of 95 percent, yet unvaccinated players have become a logistics and PR nightmare for the league. Although Kyrie Irving hasn’t publicly revealed his vaccination status, he remains away from his team due to the COVID-19 policy in New York.