Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong wants to give up his US citizenship, move to the UK and become a British citizen. The 50-year-old’s reaction stems from the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn abortion protections.
“I renounce my citizenship”
The Grammy Award winner and Green Day singer of ‘American Idiot’ announced during his concert in London on Friday (24 June 2022) that he is looking to relocate to the UK. He proclaimed “F**k America,” adding that he would relinquish his citizenship after the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections after Roe vs. Wade.
“Fuck America, I’m renouncing my citizenship. I’m coming here, dammit,” Armstrong explained. “There is just too much stupidity in the world to go back to this pathetic country.”
“Oh, I’m not kidding,” Armstrong pointed out. “You’ll see a lot more of me over the next few days.”
Armstrong was even more explicit during Green Day’s concert a day later. Before Armstrong joined the song “American Idiot,” he yelled, “F*** the Supreme Court.”
#GreenDay #RoeVWade #hellamegatour
billie joe’s statement on roe vs wade at london hella mega tour last night pic.twitter.com/6cJx4oa6I1— oz??️??️⚧️|FUCK GCSES!! (@armstr0ngtyler) June 25, 2022
Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar also commented
Other artists made a statement on the decision of the Supreme Court. Taylor Swift said she was absolutely appalled by the verdict. Billie Eilish called it “a really, really dark day for women.” In Glastonbury, Phoebe Bridgers shouted “F*** the Supreme Court!” and Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen dedicated their performance of “Fuck You” to the Conservative judges. Also on June 26, 2022, Kendrick Lamar chanted the following lines during his performance at Glastonbury Festival: “Good luck for women’s rights; they judge you, they judge Christ.”
“Godspeed for women’s rights”?@kendricklamar pic.twitter.com/JJjCcRPGMe
— KENDRICK LAMAR BIBLE (@dakendrickbible) June 26, 2022
Music as a political stage
Armstrong has used his music as a platform to express himself politically in the past. In the song “American Idiot” from 2004 he criticized the media landscape in the USA.
“Don’t wanna be an American idiot!
Don’t want a nation under the new media
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America!”
In addition, Green Day 2016 criticized the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. During their performance at the 2016 American Music Awards, the band sang – “No Trump, No KKK, No fascist USA.”