Justin Bieber receives message of gratitude from MLK’s family for his support 

Justin Bieber is criticized for using clips of MLK Jr. on his new album… but civil rights icon’s family show their support for pop star

Justin Bieber received a message of support from Martin Luther King Jr.’s family after getting backlash for using snippets of the late civil rights activist’s speeches on his new album Justice.

As soon as the album dropped on Thursday, the MLK clips – one used as the intro to the album and another as a two-minute interlude – became a hotly debated subject on Twitter

Some internet critics sounded off that it didn’t seem appropriate to use MLK’s historic words on a pop album filled with love songs. 

Backlash: Justin Bieber was criticized for using MLK Jr.’s words on his new album Justice, which dropped Thursday, but the civil rights icon’s family are grateful to the pop star

‘justin bieber profiting off of the civil rights movement as a white man is weird. his album is called ‘justice’ and has an MLK interlude but speaks nowhere of social justice, and is focused on love and relationships… huh?’ one person wrote. 

Lots of people shared memes as they joked about the juxtaposition of the two subject matters.

‘Justin Bieber has an MLK Interlude on his album. Then, an 80’s inspired pop song about dying for love comes on next.’ another person wrote.  

But as the album dropped, MLK’s family showed their gratitude to the pop star. 

Some internet critics sounded off that it didn't seem appropriate to use MLK's historic words on a pop album filled with love songs

Some internet critics sounded off that it didn’t seem appropriate to use MLK’s historic words on a pop album filled with love songs

Debate: Lots of people shared memes as they joked about the juxtaposition of the two subject matters

Debate: Lots of people shared memes as they joked about the juxtaposition of the two subject matters

‘Each of us, including artists and entertainers, can do something.’ wrote Bernice King, 57, daughter of MLK Jr., on Twitter.

‘Thank you. @justinbieber, for your support, in honor of #Justice, of @TheKingCenter’s work and of our #BeLove campaign, which is a part of our global movement for justice. #MLK #EndRacism.’ she added.

The first words on Bieber’s new album come from the civil rights leader.

‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ MLK says before the first track, 2 Much.

In the middle of the album, there is a two-minute clip of MLK before another love song, Die For You. 

When Justice dropped, the singer tweeted a message, listing off all the social justice organizations he’s supporting with the album.

Social Justice: As the album dropped, MLK's family showed their gratitude to the pop star for supporting a good cause

Social Justice: As the album dropped, MLK’s family showed their gratitude to the pop star for supporting a good cause

The first words on Bieber's new album come from the civil rights leader. As well as a 2-minute clip from one of his speeches in the middle

The first words on Bieber’s new album come from the civil rights leader. As well as a 2-minute clip from one of his speeches in the middle

‘In honor of #Justice I’m supporting organizations that embody what justice looks like in action.

‘@AntiRecidivism @AHouse_LA @ComptonPledge @baby2baby @eji_org @LIFTCommunities @SHG1970 @TheKingCenter #ThisIsAboutHumanity @UniteThePoor ‘

Speaking in an interview ahead of the release of his new album, Justin said that he has come up against many challenges in the last 12 months that left him feeling ‘unstable.’

He also revealed that wife Hailey helped him get his life back on track after the difficult patch. 

Speaking to The Sun, he said: ‘One of the tracks on the album is called Unstable, and for me its a really emotional song because I was in a really, really bad place maybe a year ago.’

The performer continued: ‘Fortunately my wife was just there for me through it all and so the whole message of the song is ‘You loved me when I was unstable.’

‘She really held me down and you know just continued to love me through a really challenging, hard season that I’d been in – so the person in the song that was me,’ Justin added.

Hitmaker: Bieber is seen in the music video for his new track Peaches off the new album

Hitmaker: Bieber is seen in the music video for his new track Peaches off the new album