Rapper Common took to the stage at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards to present a tribute to the 18-year-old, who was walking down a street unarmed in the American town of Ferguson, Missouri, when he was shot and killed by a police officer.
As Kim, 33 and her teenage sisters sat in the audience, the musician made a moving speech about the incident, which sparked rioting in the town earlier this month.
“Hip hop has always presented a voice for the revolution,” Common said. “I want us all to take a moment of silence for Mike Brown and for peace in this country and in the world.”
During the moment’s silence, the camera turned to Kim Kardashian and Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who were shockingly texting on their phones.
One angry viewer tweeted: “Let's not pretend we're shocked the Kardashian girls were texting during a moment of silence for Ferguson at the VMAs.”
A spokesperson for Kim Kardashian reportedly denied that she was texting during the emotional speech, but offered no explanation for the footage, which appeared to prove otherwise.
Do you think Kim and her sisters should apologise for texting during the tribute? Let us know in the comments box below.