Jamal Roberts, who was the winner of this season of American Idol, declined the honorary key to the city of Laurel, Mississippi, amid threats and negative responses regarding the access after the announcement was made.
Roberts is a represented by Meridian, Mississippi, and had received an invitation to receive the ceremonial honor while he performed in Laurel in August. Roberts posted on social media, saying he would decline the key.
The story about Roberts receiving the key started with a Facebook post from local Promoter Drake Paige, where he mentioned that mayor Johnny Magee would be giving Roberts the key.
Though it was meant to be a recognition for Roberts, it turned into a loss of reputation and public condemnation for allowing a person from another city to be given a key to Laurel. After going through all of that public discussions and dissent Roberts stated that he was receiving threatening violent messages including accusations that folks would be showing up to the event with guns.
Jamal Roberts, 27, became a household name this past May after winning American Idol. Before he began a successful music career, he was a physical education teacher at Crestwood Elementary School in Meridian. He was a fan favorite throughout the season for his down-to-earth attitude and his powerful singing voice.
After winning, Roberts announced that he would be giving his $500,000 prize money to support the school where he had previously worked, earning him even more respect from fans and fellow teachers. He has candidly discussed how to juggle his career in music as a dad of three kids too.
In spite of the controversy in Laurel, Roberts is continuing to focus on making music. He is still likely to perform at other appearances in Mississippi and he is working toward releasing his first single, a song to honor his home state. Roberts is used to being in the limelight, but this experience shows how risky being a public figure can be, particularly if support is politicized or mischaracterized.
By declining the key to the city, Roberts made a clear statement that safety is more important than ceremony. Also, he is showing a growing cognizance by artists and public figures on how online threats can affect their lives and health.
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