Snoop Dogg (and others like Nelly, Soulja Boy and Rick Ross) acting at numerous inauguration occasions in assist of President Trump has understandably induced fairly a little bit of dialog within the Black neighborhood. There are individuals who discover these entertainers keen to assist a person who has been, at greatest, divisive and, at worst, outwardly racist to be a slap within the face to their fanbases and the Black neighborhood, normally.
Stephen A. Smith, although, defended entertainers in opposition to the backlash and criticism (and those that even might have voted for Trump) on his fashionable YouTube present, “The Stephen A. Smith Present.” He even reached again to defend Ice Dice, who in 2020 was criticized for calling out the Democratic Social gathering’s lack of dedication to the Black neighborhood after which had a sit-down assembly with Republicans and Democrats concerning the “Contract With Black America” he championed. (In a late 2024 interview, Ice Dice cleared up that he’s neither a supporter of Trump, nor MAGA.)
Smith shared a slide of statements made by political commentator Keith Boykin that implied that Black performers at Trump’s inauguration dishonored a number of Black communities negatively impacted by Trump, amongst others. Smith wonders if meaning individuals who really feel as Boykin does, don’t respect Black individuals who have issues and points concerning the nation.
“What if this particular person voted for him as a result of they broke and so they assume he’s going to place extra money of their pocket? What if this particular person voted for him as a result of they’re
in a criminal offense ridden neighborhood and so they really feel leftists aren’t having the streets patrolled
nicely sufficient…There’s a complete bunch of the reason why folks vote.”
Relating to the performers themselves, Smith believes that their proper to generate income supersedes what we imagine their politics are, particularly since artists like Snoop Dogg and Ice Dice (who didn’t carry out, however Smith appears to have actually felt a manner about the best way Dice was handled some years in the past) have performed a lot for the communities they arrive from and the world by way of music; in essence, what they’ve given is extra vital than acting at Trump’s inauguration.
“Soulja Boy ain’t acquired a proper to go make some cash?…Snoop Dogg is value over $100 million. He acquired a youth soccer league. This brother is sending cats to school. He sending cats to the NFL. We’re simply going to disregard that? As a result of he carried out on the inauguration? …While you turned in opposition to Ice Dice, is unforgivable. It’s unforgivable. Ice Dice, N.W.A., Ice Dice, Dre, Eazy E, all of them….After which Snoop got here aboard, Warren G. and the entire crew. They took the rap recreation to a different stage?… Have you learnt what number of Black folks have been employed due to hip hop?… They remodeled the world.”
For his half, Snoop Dogg has not responded to criticism about his efficiency, posting commonly as if it doesn’t actually exist.
Nelly then again, has defended his selection as a mirrored image of his army household background and dedication to respecting the workplace of the president, regardless of who’s within the seat– an argument which in and of itself, has led to yet one more spherical of backlash.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, “Expensive Tradition” on theGrio Black Podcast Community. He writes very Black issues, drinks very brown liquors, and is fairly fly for a light-weight man. His largest accomplishment up to now coincides along with his Blackest accomplishment up to now in that he obtained a telephone name from Oprah Winfrey after she learn certainly one of his items (largest) however he didn’t reply the telephone as a result of the caller ID stated “Unknown” (Blackest).
