Another rapper supports Trump’s policies. But does this mean he supports Trump?
On Thursday, Lil Wayne posted a photo of him and Trump on Twitter stating the 2 had a “great meeting.” Wayne met the President in Miami to discuss the administration’s “Platinum Plan,” a policy that aims to “give the [black] community real ownership.” In the tweet, Wayne expressed that “[Trump] listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done.”
Wayne is among a string of hip hop artists, including Kanye West, 50 Cent, Lil Pump and Ice Cube, who have publicly backed Trump and/or his policies. 50 Cent and Lil Pump previously endorsed Trump’s tax plan by renouncing Joe Biden’s. 50 Cent specifically stated that he did not want to become “20 Cent” due to Biden’s proposed tax scheme but later denounced his direct support for Trump by tweeting “F**k Donald Trump. I never liked him.” Lil Pump has so far not reneged on his tweet advocating for “Trump 2020.”
In recent months, Ice Cube worked with the Trump administration to outline a proposal for the “Platinum Plan” in an effort to invigorate the black community through economic-related initiatives, making Juneteenth a federal holiday and prosecuting white supremacist and terrorist groups such as the Klu Klux Klan and Antifa. Ice Cube later clarified that he is “willing to work with both teams. But [he’s] just working with whoever is willing to work with [him].”
Before endeavoring to run for President himself, Kanye also pledged his support for Trump after a meeting with him in the Oval Office in 2018. However, despite Trump’s pledge to put forth the “Platinum Plan” and photos of him shaking hands and hugging top rap artists, Trump has presented conflicting messages regarding race, previously calling the Black Lives Matter movement a “symbol of hate.”
Thus, the question remains: do these influential hip-hop stars specifically support Trump, or does their support hinge on Trump taking deliberate action to fulfill promises for future revitalization of black communities in the US?