The Ladies may Love Cool James, but LL Cool J loves union workers a little more. The night before July 4’s Wawa Welcome America Concert in Philadelphia, LL Cool J backed out as the headliner of the event in support of striking city workers. Jazmine Sullivan, one of the openers and a Philly native, followed suit and said she would also not perform. That, however, did not seem to dampen the attitude of those who attended the events.
The day started with the Celebration Of Freedom Ceremony at Independence Hall. Two awards were given out, The Mayor’s One Philly Award and the 10th anniversary of the Wawa Foundation Hero Award. The event featured award-winning R&B/pop vocalist Suzann Christine and speeches by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and the recipient of the inaugural One Philly Award: Philadelphia Phillies managing partner/principal owner John Middleton.
During the mayor’s speech, there were verbal interruptions from members and supporters of AFSCME District Council 33, the city’s largest labor union. All in all, the demonstration was respectful and the mayor acknowledged that we should recognize the union members’ right to voice their opinions, especially on Independence Day.
Honored for his philanthropy work, Middleton spoke about his commitment to the Philadelphia region. He also expressed his desire to see another World Series trophy back to Philadelphia.
Although the evening event changed due to LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan bowing out, those attending still got into the groove with rapper/singer Álvaro Díaz and singer/songwriter JoJo along with Mr Hollywood DJ and DJ Ghost & Friends.
There was a healthy crowd that showed up on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the free concert. Díaz and JoJo performed upbeat sets between the DJs keeping attendees entertained until the nighttime fireworks.
At the end of the day, although there was a noticeable impact from the union strike, it did not stop the City Of Brotherly Love from celebrating the birth of our country.
—words and photos by Eric Ring
