Donald Trump has once more ascended to the office of the President of the United States, doing so as a convicted felon, which has all but emboldened not only his base but also the cronies he’s surrounded himself with. In the past few days and earlier times, we’ve seen stalwarts of the Hip-Hop community pledge allegiance to the incoming regime of Donald Trump, but what exactly does that mean for the Hip-Hop community at large?
Donald Trump has enjoyed an almost surreal connection with Hip-Hop dating back to his days as a flashy New York business magnate with stars of the culture rapping favorably about him in the decades before he became president in 2016. Despite cozying up to the mogul, Trump has demonstrated disdain for Black people as many saw in 1989. At the time, Trump took out a full-page ad in one of New York’s biggest news publications in an attack on the Exonerated Five (formerly the Central Park 5), five teenagers who were wrongly convicted of the sexual assault of jogger Trisha Meili.
It is a shameful display of cowardice and an odd worship of power that only seeks to serve Trump instead of rightly critiquing him for his faults.
As recently as last September, Donald Trump stuck to his guns regarding the Exonerated Five during the presidential debate in September against Vice President Kamala Harris. In the debate, Trump confusingly said, “They admitted, they said they pled guilty and I said, ‘well, if they pled guilty they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately. And they pled guilty, then they pled not guilty.”
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The Exonerated Five never pled guilty nor did anyone die in the case yet the mainstream media, illustrating the tepid coverage of Trump during his presidential campaign, barely covered how often Trump would speak gross mistruths and stumbling statements. While that moment should’ve been the time that the Hip-Hop community broke with Trump, he still managed to maintain support from Rap figures including Waka Flocka, Kodak Black, Azealia Banks, Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Lil Pump, and others. Naturally, none of these individuals pointed to any actionable policies offered by the incoming Trump administration but praised his wealth and personality and the fact he pardoned several individuals.
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The pardons, as some have come to learn, were thought to come with the perk of unyielding fealty to Trump. Lil Wayne, Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, Death Row Records co-founder Michael “Harry O” Harris, and the aforementioned Kodak Black were all pardoned in Trump’s first term. The politically astute framed these moves for what they seemingly were, a deposit to get long-term support down the road for a second run at the White House.
Ice Cube, who has been mentioned among Black entertainers who have either softened their views of Trump or aligned themselves with him, was early in taking negative shots via his 1990 video for “Who’s The Mack” by superimposing the words “Broke Mack” over Trump’s face near the end of the video. However, Cube later spoke admirably of Trump, stating in 2016 that “he looks like a boss.”
The disappointment of Vice President Kamala Harris’ narrow loss to Trump still hangs over the heads of many and the insult to injury continued up until the eve of the inauguration. Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy reportedly all performed over the weekend at the first-ever “Crypto Ball,” a gathering to celebrate Donald Trump and the cryptocurrency industry.
Unsurprisingly, Trump upped the grift by launching a new crypto token which is a clear sign of the president’s embrace of the industry and signs that he’s playing by new rules. Snoop, who has previously been critical of Trump recently as last year, somewhat addressed his connection with the Crypto Ball via a cryptic social media jab and Soulja Boy flat-out admitted that he was only in it for the money. Nelly was also named as an upcoming performer, along with country star Carrie Underwood, beer specialist Kid Rock, and The Village People, among others.
Make no mistake, the culture has given Ross, Snoop, Soulja, and many of the aforementioned Hip-Hop entertainers more than enough grief but to interpolate the great words of Kendrick Lamar, it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. Yes, there has been visible disappointment in these figures but it hasn’t adequately stopped these occurrences from happening. There seems to be an easy answer to this.
The money, so it seems, is what some in Hip-Hop (and music overall) seem to respect far more than themselves. Forget the broken promises and shady alliances. What of Trump’s comments about Black men and women, or the lack of anything resembling solid policy as it relates to the communities these entertainers hail from? It is a shameful display of cowardice and an odd worship of power that only seeks to serve Trump instead of rightly critiquing him for his faults.
Despite the heaviness some are feeling, there are several ways the Hip-Hop community can weather the storm.
Civic Literacy Is Sorely Needed
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A study published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in February 2024 noted that from a survey of 2,000 registered voters, 70% of Americans would fail a basic civic literacy quiz. The dearth of knowledge around civic participation and how to lessen the gap has been the aim of organizations like the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the National Civic League. Just this past election cycle, we were inundated with several examples of the common American voter not knowing how the electoral system works, what the three branches of government are, and what functions the chambers of Congress perform.
An educated electorate is an empowered one and it is something that should be urged beyond election cycles and promoted at the state and local level. The political machinations of certain states within the union are consistently at play with little in the way of blueprints to prevent being duped by hopeful politicians. Those of us of a certain age might remember taking civics in school, and those of us with more seasoning on our bones should also recall Schoolhouse Rock! which used music to educate young viewers of the processes of government. If we can return to explaining the nuances of politics with the right amount of flair that appeals to all ages, then we can assume many won’t feel as blindsided as they might now.
Find Your Tribe & Organize
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The Trump administration is most certainly riding a wave with the Republican Party in lockstep and owning all three branches of the federal government. Some might find the task of combating any ill-doings of the Trump White House daunting, which is why an effort to combat the incoming wave of inanity sure to come is necessary.
Groups such as Democracy Forward, headed by Skye Perryman, are part of a growing number of left-leaning organizations that last November launched a multi-organizational coalition titled Democracy 2025 in stark defiance of the Project 2025 that some believe is in play now that Trump is back in power. Other groups such as the Pro-Democracy Campaign work on a multi-state level to help individuals strategize and organize in their respective regions to help shape what they want to see happen on the national level.
No matter how one votes, the criticism of Trump and his administration should be consistently factual and unrelenting in its intensity.
The heaviest lift will be to engage those affected by the policies of the incoming administration regardless of political affiliation because those who pulled the lever for Trump are also woefully unprepared for what’s to come. That said, it is best to start small and gather with those who share your vision of an equitable future where all are treated fairly and equally. This might look like starting small at your local libraries or places of worship, or it might involve those grassroots organizations that could use volunteers to advance the messages you want to be heard.
Message In The Music
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Hip-Hop music and politics aren’t necessarily bedfellows but it would be false to say the two haven’t intersected in the past five decades. During the “Golden Era” of the 1980s, several groups platformed political positions and voiced the concerns of the downtrodden and oppressed. Hip-Hop music, at least on the mainstream level, has largely moved away from that much to the detriment of the eager ears of the youth.
If there was ever a time that Hip-Hop was considered the voice of the people, now would be the time to see that emerge. No, we can’t expect rappers and entertainers to be perfect in their execution of political messaging, nor can we expect a barrage of “FDT” tracks (RIP Nipsey Hussle). Several bold acts on the underground level probably won’t be adding their voices to the flurry of conversations to come but some do speak the will of the people. If those acts are supported and encouraged to continue that line of creativity, perhaps some can provide a measure of hope for the coming generations that democracy can thrive in the face of oligarchs and autocrats.
Sadly, it’s tough to give concrete examples as most underground rappers have only spoken about the conflict in the Gaza region and America’s hand in the matter. Others are addressing the flood of violence that plagues Black communities but in recent times, it is a rarity to hear Hip-Hop acts fully aim the power of the music at dismantling the rise of MAGA and shouting down the divisiveness that only seems to grow by the day.
Yet there were glimmers of hope with Eminem famously taking shots at Trump in his freestyles and songs along with appearing onstage alongside President Barack Obama at a Detroit Rally for Vice President Harris. Adding to the voices of disagreement for Trump were the likes of T.I., Megan Thee Stallion, and Cardi B. The culture will need many more acts to take a similarly bold stance and show up beyond election cycle celebrity appearances.
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In closing, Hip-Hop and the community overall have an opportunity to change the course of conversations regarding politics, democracy, and the power of the vote. The lines are drawn but this isn’t a time to cower in fear or render ourselves inactive out of frustration. No matter how one votes, the criticism of Donald Trump and his administration should be consistently factual and unrelenting in its intensity. It is the only way we’ll be heard and digging deep into our reserve could inspire the next generation to stand up against any regime that seeks to quell their fire.
As the years roll on, Hip-Hop Wired, along with our Urban One family, will continue to add ideas and carefully present solutions because we know Donald Trump will almost certainly give us reasons to speak up. We’ll need each other more than ever.
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How To Weather The Storm Of Donald Trump & What The Hip-Hop Community Can Do
was originally published on
hiphopwired.com
