In an unexpected turn of events, seemingly defying conventional mainstream political narratives, a party at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) became a stage for staunch recognition and ardent adulation of Donald Trump. Rapper Lil Pump, best known for his hit single “Gucci Gang,” turned party cheerleader as he led students in an effusive “we love Trump” chant. The scene was captured on video and has since become a digital wildfire, revealing a shifting paradigm within sections of the hip-hop community and their allegiance to political figures.
🚨@LilPump started a “WE WANT TRUMP” chant at Ole Miss
🎥: @OldRowOfficial pic.twitter.com/DkjuxmH2eh
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 28, 2023
Last year, the outspoken rapper endorsed Trump at a rally leading up to the 2020 election, going so far as to credit the former President for his, according to Pump, appreciable actions. “Mr. President, I’ve come here to say Mr. President, I appreciate everything you’ve done for our country,” Pump stated emphatically. “You brought the troops home, and you are doing the right thing. MAGA 2020! Do not vote for Sleepy Joe at all!”
As the 2020 election draws nearer, Lil Pump maintains his support, being part of a group of hip-hop stars backing the former president’s re-election efforts. Joining him in the Trump endorsement list is rapper Waka Flocka Flame, who lent his voice to the ‘Trump train’ earlier this month.
Ironically, this show of support follows shortly after fellow hip-hop artist Sexyy Red voiced her appreciation for President Trump on a podcast. She praised his handling of the Covid-19 relief funds benefiting Black Americans and his incarceration reform efforts. “We need him back, cause them checks? Oooh, yeah, them stimulus checks,” Sexyy Red said. “Trump, we miss you.”
Offering further evidence of this shift within the hip-hop industry, additional endorsements have come from Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Benny The Butcher, and Kodak Black among others. YG, who previously penned a disparaging song titled “F** Donald Trump” ahead of 2016 election, recently acknowledged Trump’s growing popularity amongst Black Americans during a podcast appearance.
Data seem to corroborate YG’s observation. By recent counts, an estimated one in five Black Americans support President Trump’s re-election campaign, a substantial increase from the single-digit support he enjoyed during his first term, causing eyebrows to raise and prompting a reconsideration of voting demographic assumptions.
In conclusion, the lines of politics, race, and hip-hop music are blurring more than ever before. The recent outpour of support for Trump from the likes of Lil Pump, Waka Flocka Flame, Sexyy Red, and others implicates a potential shift in political thinking within the hip-hop community and possibly Black Americans at large. It’s left to us to keenly observe and critically analyze these developments, understanding the far-reaching implications they might have on political equations and future elections. If the data is any indication, we may be witnessing the emergence of a new political frontier that is embracing unlikely allegiances. Such movements may well determine America’s future political landscape.
As the 2024 election looms near, one thing is clear: The ‘Trump train’, it seems, has made a stop at an unlikely station – the hip-hop community. It’s a narrative that’s challenging stereotypical notions, and this cultural-political phenomenon demands a closer look. As breaking journalists, we bring you up close to these evolving narratives, dispelling preconceived notions and shedding light on unlikely alliances. For, as the hip-hop community’s political scales seem to lean towards Trump, America’s political stage promises to continue hitting the high notes of surprise.
