From Sada Baby to Queen Latifah: Rappers and what they mean to Trump and Biden in 2024

Former President Obama picked Kendrick Lamar over Drake when requested in 2016 who would win in a rap battle. Since his presidency, rappers have had an elevated, if casual, platform in politics, making their very own preferences for president recognized too. 

And in 2024, whereas notable rap artists lean in the direction of President Biden, former President Donald Trump has additionally seen his assist develop, too, particularly amongst youthful rappers.

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris joined rapper Quavo, of the “Migos,” in Atlanta for a summit centered round gun violence prevention. Last Saturday, Detroit rapper Sada Baby was outdoors the 180 Church in Detroit, encouraging individuals to vote for Trump. 

Trump and the rappers who again him

Some of the rappers supporting Trump have cult, regional followings, whereas others are charting on Billboard. They cite quite a lot of causes for backing Trump: COVID-19 period stimulus checks, the Payment Protection Program, his pardons of rappers and a dissonance in the present political system. 

In 2020, Trump pardoned each Lil Wayne and Kodak Black on his manner out of the White House in 2021. Kodak Black is amongst these in the “Black Americans for Trump” coalition this cycle.

New York City rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow, fixtures of Brooklyn’s “drill” rap subgenre, spoke at a Trump rally in the Bronx in May. Both have been indicted on murder conspiracy charges in May 2023. 

Sada Baby, whose 2020 single “Whole Lotta Choppas” has over 55 million listens on Spotify, was certainly one of three Detroit rappers, becoming a member of Peezy and Icewear Vezzo, to attend Mr. Trump’s roundtable final week with native Black group leaders.

“A lot of Democrats assume that [we’re] just supposed to vote blindly. I feel like our votes should be worked for, I feel like our parents blindly voted for generations, but I think this generation is now understanding that we have to ask questions,” Vezzo, who mentioned he is leaning in the direction of Mr. Trump for his vote, informed Fox News. 

St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red, who has two singles on Billboard’s “Hot 100” chart, cited COVID-19 stimulus checks as a part of why she helps the previous president. 

“Once he started getting Black people out of jail and giving people that free money. Aww baby, we love Trump… We need him back because, baby, them checks,” she mentioned on a podcast with comedian Theo Von in October 2023.

Mr. Trump’s previous campaigns have concerned rappers — certainly one of his closing rallies in Michigan earlier than the 2020 election featured Florida rapper Lil Pump, who Trump mistakenly referred to as “Lil Pimp.” Ice Cube was an adviser in 2020 to Trump on a proposal to assist Black Americans. 

And whereas controversial rapper Kanye West ran his personal tumultuous third-party 2020 presidential marketing campaign to problem Trump – the previous president dined with West and white nationalist Nick Fuentes in 2022, and the 2 have recognized one another for years. West endorsed Mr. Trump in February.

Janiyah Thomas, the Trump marketing campaign’s Black media director, mentioned Trump is assembly with rappers, pastors, and enterprise leaders and argued his engagement with rappers is “completely organic.” 

“His message resonates with these artists and their audiences, largely in Black communities, who feel ripped off by Joe Biden’s terrible economic and immigration policies,” Thomas added.

In response to Trump’s pursuit of assist from rappers, Biden marketing campaign senior spokesperson Sarafina Chitika mentioned Trump has “spent his life and political career disrespecting Black communities every chance he gets.”

“It’s why the first thing he did after taking over the RNC was shut down its minority outreach centers, and it’s why his campaign keeps staging their so-called ‘outreach’ in white neighborhoods and in front of white audiences,” she added. “Our campaign is on the ground engaging with our communities on the issues that matter.”

Trump’s previous assist from rap artists did not translate into decisive electoral beneficial properties amongst Black or youthful voters – typically Democratic leaning teams – who make up the majority of rap listeners in accordance to a CBS News 2022 poll. 

According to CBS News exit polls, Trump received 8% Black assist in 2016 and 12% in 2020. Among youthful voters, these between 18 and 29 years outdated, 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton (55%) and Mr. Biden (60%) nonetheless captured a majority of their assist. 

Biden marketing campaign leans into music competition canvassing, Black outreach occasions

But polls this 12 months additionally present Biden’s assist amongst Black and youthful voters barely softening. The Biden marketing campaign has responded with file investments of cash and time in voter outreach.

New York City rapper Fat Joe, an advocate for inexpensive healthcare, took half in a March panel with Harris about decriminalizing marijuana. Queen Latifah and Lizzo carried out at a New York City fundraiser for the marketing campaign in March. Singer John Legend, whose catalog options frequent collaborations with rappers, is backing Mr. Biden for a second time and referred to as Trump a “dyed-in-the-wool racist” in an MSNBC interview. 

The Biden marketing campaign notes it has been energetic in not simply courting rappers’ endorsements, however their audiences as nicely. 

The Biden marketing campaign informed CBS News it should have a presence on the “Essence Festival of Culture,” the biggest Black tradition and music occasion in the U.S., and have paid media partnerships and conferences deliberate with Black celebrities and musicians on the upcoming BET awards in Los Angeles. 

The marketing campaign additionally had canvassers on the April “Dreamville Fest” in Raleigh, North Carolina, placed on by Grammy-nominated rapper J Cole, and had plans for R&B singer Usher’s “Lovers & Friends” competition in Las Vegas in May, although the competition was canceled due to climate.

“The Democratic party has been very intentional and consistent about their outreach and engagement [with Black voters],” mentioned Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. “I recognize that certainly there’s more work to do because when you are the most decisive and loyal [voting] bloc– the biggest room in the house is the room for improvement.”

In 2020, Mr. Biden was backed by Offset, one other Migos member, and Chicago rapper Common, who carried out at an Atlanta campaign rally. Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny additionally voiced campaign ads concentrating on Latino voters in Florida, Arizona and Pennsylvania.

Skepticism about affect of Trump’s recognition with rappers

Political strategists, and political science professors who examine rap music do not consider both candidate’s assist from artists will shift the race in a significant manner. 

“We’re not monolithic in any way shape or form,” Seawright mentioned of Black voters. “I don’t think you’ll see some mass sprint to Donald Trump because you have a few artists who show up with him or make an appearance.”

Corey Miles, a Tulane University sociology professor who research the intersection of lure music, a rap subgenre created in the south, and incarceration, mentioned Trump has “always had a connection in the Black imagination,” primarily from his days as a celeb businessman.

“I don’t think it’s any different than what we’ve kind of always seen Black people do in terms of our diversity [in voting]. I just think Trump is such a sensationalist person, that when Black folks support him, it feels different or more of an outlier than it actually is,” Miles mentioned. 

During a February speech on the Black Conservative Freedom Gala in Columbia, S.C., Trump steered Black voters assist him as a result of they view him as “being discriminated against” following his indictments.  “They see what’s happening to me happens to them,” he added. 

Following the discharge of his Atlanta mugshot in August 2023, rapper Chief Keef posted a photoshopped image of Trump throwing up gang indicators and wrote, “I know whatever deck he on[,] he good in the hood for sure[.] he finna run the prison.”

A majority, 85%, of Black voters surveyed in a June CBS News poll believed Trump acquired a good path in his hush cash funds case. A majority additionally thought of it “very serious” and a “major factor” in their vote. 

“What’s crazy to me is from the beginning of time, America has always told how to treat a convicted felon. Now that he’s a convicted felon you want the rules to change,” Florida artist Plies, a frequent critic of Mr. Trump, mentioned on his track “Convicted Felon.”

Tricia Rose, a Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University who has authored books about rap historical past and race, mentioned Trump has “manipulated that ID of what Black felony status means for his own purposes.”

Rose famous a few of Trump’s disparaging comments about crime in predominantly Black cities and his name for the demise penalty of the “Central Park 5,” 5 minority youngsters wrongfully convicted of raping a girl in 1989.

“What he’s done is using kind of grotesque imagery — gold sneakers and so on — to create a relationship to a constituency that he’s been brutal about,” Rose mentioned, referencing the Trump marketing campaign’s sale of restricted version gold sneakers.

“It’s a very shrewd manipulation, that hopefully other young MCs who have a different understanding, perhaps a broader understanding, can jump in and challenge this,” she added. 

The undecided and these to left of Biden

Other rappers stay undecided. 50 Cent, who was on Capitol Hill to speak about Black entrepreneurship, informed CBS News he is not sure who he’ll vote for this time. He switched his assist from Trump to Biden in 2020.

Cardi B, who backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2020 and Mr. Biden in the overall election, said she will not vote in any respect due to disappointment with the financial system. 

Some artists have additionally been outspoken concerning the Biden administration’s response to Israeli strikes in Gaza. Macklemore’s pro-Gaza single, “Hind’s Hall,” the place he explicitly states he won’t vote for Mr. Biden, has develop into an unofficial anthem for pro-Palestinian protests. 

Biden administration officers have supported sending extra army support to Israel, however has additionally been working towards a ceasefire in Gaza. 

“The blood is on your hands, Biden, we can see it all. And **k no, I’m not votin’ for you in the fall,” Macklemore raps.

Taurean Small and Shawna Mizelle contributed reporting to this story.