American Idol 2021 fan favorite contestant Murphy was kicked out of Washington Square Park in New York City on Sunday (June 13) . The singer was busking in the famed Greenwich Village park, located in lower Manhattan, when the cops busted him!
According to the Village Sun, the New York City Parks Department and police continue to crack down on amplified sound in city parks.
Setting up in Washington Square Park on Sunday, Murphy and an accompanying vocalist used two microphones and two small amplifiers. They had gathered a small crowd that was becoming increasingly enthusiastic about his performance when Parks Enforcement Patrol officers interrupted him as he began a song.
“I really wanted to play today,” Murphy told a Village Sun reporter as he was packing his equipment.
Murphy is not the only musician NYC police have shut down. Reportedly, many local musicians have said over the past few weeks that PEP officers and local police have been stopping them from playing with electric amplifiers and threatening them with fines for repeat offenses.
Josh Gad Asks American Idol’s Murphy to Pen Song for ‘Central Park’
Fans remember Murphy aka Blind Boy as the visually impaired American Idol contestant who has traveled the country honing his craft on street corners. He quickly become a fan favorite on the show after singing several appealing original songs. But alas, the show cut him from the competition before the Top 24, angering many fans.
American Idol realizing their mistake, brought Murphy back to sing an original composition on the May 23 finale. Perhaps the show will bring back the popular singer-songwriter for season 20. I would not be surprised.
In the meantime–stay safe out their Murphy! Don’t let the cops bring you down.
Watch all of Murphy’s American Idol performances below. Along with his original songs, Murphy covered iconic tunes such as “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers and “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce.
Also watch Murphy make a triumphant return to the American Idol finale where he sang his originals, “Am I Still Mine?” and “The Painted Man.”
