John Legend calls out realtors to fix the real problem after they drop the term 'master bedroom'

Realtors in Houston may have believed they were fighting systemic racism when they cancelled the term “master bedroom” recently, but John Legend says that really isn’t enough. In fact, he’s calling on them to do more, and to start addressing the real problems.After Texas real estate agents announced last week that they will replace the term “master” with “primary” due to the former term’s connotations to slavery, Legend called them out on Twitter for highlighting a problem that he says didn’t necessarily exist. “Real problem: realtors don't show black people all the properties they qualify for,” he said in a string of tweets. “Fake problem: calling the master bedroom the master bedroom. Fix the real problem, realtors.”

Real problem: realtors don't show black people all the properties they qualify for. Fake problem: calling the master bedroom the master bedroom. Fix the real problem, realtors. https://t.co/Qq7yQ8Gb3g

— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 27, 2020

When some agents defended themselves, the EGOT winner then continued, “Me saying this is a real problem doesn't mean that you, offended real estate agent, do it. It doesn't mean 100% of you do it. It means it's widespread and well-documented enough to be an actual issue. As my grandfather/pastor used to say, ‘I'm not talkin bout u unless it's u.’”Legend then went on to thank realtors who are showing leadership by recognizing the problem and encouraging their colleagues to do better before revealing what master, or primary bedrooms, should have been called all along: “As for terminology, all MTV Cribs viewers know that ‘this is where the magic happens’ is the only acceptable name for where the homeowner sleeps,” he wrote.

As for terminology, all MTV Cribs viewers know that "this is where the magic happens" is the only acceptable name for where the homeowner sleeps.

— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 28, 2020

Then, to further prove his point, the 41-year-old linked to an undercover Newsday investigation that reveals listing agents don’t always treat clients equally when it comes to the colour of their skin. He followed that up several days later by retweeting a link to a Boston Globe article in which a report states that Black renters experienced discrimination by real estate brokers and landlords in 71 per cent of the cases tested.“I seem to recall a Twitter thread discussing this very issue over the weekend,” he wrote. Then, in a follow-up tweet, he sarcastically added, “But I was assured by many realtors that this couldn't possibly be happening. So obviously this is fake news, @BostonGlobe.”Legend has been an outspoken voice in the fight to end racial inequality, especially in recent weeks as Black Lives Matter protests have swept the world. The singer is among the members of 1,000 Black Artists For Freedom, he recently squared off against Alicia Keyes in a piano duel to celebrate Juneteenth, and he has been using his platform to uplift other Black voices, like Charly Palmer, the artist who designed Legend’s latest album cover."We really do need change and that’s something I've been focused on for a long time in my philanthropic and political work," Legend recently told People. "When moments like George Floyd's killing happen, it makes it even more urgent that change is needed. I'm doing fine, but too many people in our country aren’t doing well and for too long we've put up with a system that doesn't treat people of colour equally and that needs to change."[video_embed id='1968994']Before you go: John Legend and Kanye West have gone their separate ways[/video_embed]