LL Cool J, Jazmine Sullivan pull out of performing at Wawa Welcome America concert due to Philadelphia strike [View all]
Source: CBS News
By Nikki DeMentri
Updated on: July 4, 2025 / 6:29 PM EDT / CBS Philadelphia
LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan have both announced they will not be performing at the Wawa Welcome America Fourth of July Concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday due to the ongoing strike.
LL Cool J announced Thursday he won't "cross a picket line" amid the ongoing strike in Philadelphia involving the city's largest municipal workers' union.
"Yo, so, I understand there's a lot going on in Philadelphia right now, and I never, ever, ever want to disappoint my fans, especially Philadelphia, y'all mean too much to me," LL Cool J said in a post on Instagram on Thursday night. "But there's absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line, and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage. I'm not doing that, you know what I'm saying? I've been coming to Philly my whole life, you know? I have respect for the city, you know what I'm saying? Of course, I hope, I hope, I hope that the mayor and the city can make a deal, I hope it works out. I'm still going to come to Philly in case it works out. I'm going to be in town, y'all. I'm just letting you know, I'm not going to cross a picket line and perform for money when people are hurting. That's it, so I love y'all. I'm on my way to Philly. Peace and love."
LL Cool J was a headliner for the annual event along the Parkway with Philadelphia native Jazmine Sullivan.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/ll-cool-j-philadelphia-trash-strike/