Making a difference! Justin Timberlake kicked off the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday, March 5, with an uplifting and powerful speech about inclusion.
The singer was the first to win an award, picking up best song for his Trolls hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” and he took the opportunity to send an important message.
“I wrote this song because I wanted it to be about inclusion, about being together. I guess I want to take this opportunity and speak to young people right now. ’cause there’s a lot of you looking at me,” he said before giving a nod to the current political controversies facing America.
Being different means you make the difference, so F#$& 'em! @Jtimberlake #SongOfTheYear #iHeartAwards pic.twitter.com/zN5GZi7ddR
— iHeartRadio (@iHeartRadio) March 6, 2017
“If you are black or gay or lesbian or trans or maybe you’re just a sissy singing boy from Tennessee, anyone that is treating you unkindly it’s only because they are afraid or taught to be afraid of how important you are. Because being different means you make the difference. So f–k ’em.”
At last year’s iHeartRadio awards Timberlake took the opportunity to take a shot at Donald Trump for his plans to build a wall along the southern U.S border with Mexico.
While on stage to honor Taylor Swift, he took a dig at the now president of the United States.
“Some people are out here to build walls,” he said. “We ain’t naming no names. Taylor chooses to knock down walls and invite everyone to be on her #Squad.”
He and his wife, Jessica Biel, were staunch supporters of Hillary Clinton during her run for the White House, and even hosted a fundraiser for her.
Check out a clip from Timberlake’s empowering speech above.
