A Palm Beach County Commission candidate’s decision to honor Kodak Black became a point of contention in a Florida election race. Democratic candidate Richard Ryles criticized his opponent, Florida State Senator Bobby Powell, for supporting the controversial rapper.
Powell presented Black, whose government name is Bill Kapri, with a proclamation recognizing the Capitol Records artist’s charitable acts on November 11. Ryles believed it was inappropriate due to Black’s criminal history, which included allegations of sexual assault.
“As an African-American man, I do want to see a redeemed Bill Kapri in his future dealings,” Ryles told the Palm Beach Post. “Nevertheless, his recent spate of arrests indicate that he has yet to find his moral North Star and may well be spinning out of control due to drug use. I believe that Senator Powell could have used the opportunity of meeting Mr. Kapri as a teaching moment by utilizing his experience as an upstanding African-American male and father to provide guidance rather than unwarranted accolades.”
Ryles questioned Powell’s judgment, noting how Black remained fond of Donald Trump after the former president pardoned the rapper. Ryles thought Powell, a fellow Democrat, hurt their political party by celebrating someone who might make Trump appealing to young voters.
Powell defended his decision to honor Black. The PBC commission candidate claimed Ryles was trying to diminish the rapper’s charitable acts.
“We presented a proclamation to Kodak Black at Florida Atlantic University, and at that event he donated $10,000 to a VFW group,” Powell told the Palm Beach Post. “We acknowledged him for paying the rent of 28 families who were facing eviction from Merry Place in WPB. We acknowledged the 100 AC units that he secured for families facing sweltering heat in the summer at the Golden Acres Apartments and the more than $100,000 in charitable donations that he has given back to the community, including his sponsorship of charity basketball games such as the one last year at Dwyer High School. Furthermore, Kodak Black led the Florida Atlantic University Owls football team onto the field that very same day.”
He added, “By Mr. Ryles’ elitist logic, a man is to be strictly judged by a single act, not the totality of his life. There is no forgiveness, no second chances, no redemption, just ongoing punishment, the kind that brought us an overpopulation of Black men in prison with no future and no hope.”
Earlier this month, Black’s lawyer filed a motion to dismiss his 2022 drug case. Police allegedly found Oxycodone pills when they arrested Black last year, but defense attorney Bradford Cohen insisted the pills were Tylenol.