Kid Rock Ignites Controversy With NAACP in Detroit

Kid Rock isn't living up to some people's expectations. The Michigan rocker is slated to receive the Detroit-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Great Expectations Award at their annual Freedom Fund dinner in May, but the event will host a much smaller crowd than normal this year, thanks to several members boycotting the ceremony.

The reason for the protest is the singer's use of the Confederate Flag, which is considered by some to be a representation of slavery, and has been used by several controversial groups, including the Ku Klux Klan and the white supremacist group, the Aryan Nations. But the head of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, Donnell R. White, defends this year's honoree.

"Kid Rock .. has consistently lifted up the Great Expectations of many persons ... concerning the future of the city," (quote via the Detroit News).

Other city leaders disagree. "It's a slap in the face for anyone who fought for civil rights in this country," the leader of Detroiters for Progress Adolph Mongo said Thursday. "It's a symbol of hatred and bigotry."

For now, the multi-platinum-selling artist is staying silent on the subject. But in a 2008 interview, the star defended his use of the symbol at his live shows. "Why should someone be able to own any image and say what it is?" he questioned to United Kingdom's The Guardian. "Sure, it's definitely got some scars, but I've never had an issue with it. To me it just represents pride in southern rock'n'roll music, plus it just looks cool."

Kid Rock will head to New Orleans after his appearance at the Freedom Fund dinner, where he will perform for the New Orleans Jazz Fest. He will perform tonight (March 11) in Jackson, Ms., and will then head to Memphis, Tenn. for a Saturday gig. Keep track of his schedule here.