In a recent development, popular podcast host Joe Rogan has observed an increase in support for Donald Trump from the rap community, following the former President's recent trial over hush money allegations, which culminated in a conviction.
This observation was made during a podcast episode aired on June 5, where Rogan conversed with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe.
According to Newsweek, Rogan expressed his disagreement with the prosecution of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Hinchcliffe, sharing Rogan's sentiment, criticized the attempts to portray Trump negatively, stating, "They wanna try to make him look like a bad guy, but people just aren't stupid anymore." He further added, "I mean, obviously still half of the country doesn't get it."
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On May 30, Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment. The charges stemmed from accusations that Trump had arranged a $130,000 payment just before the 2016 election. This payment was allegedly made by his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels, in an attempt to silence her about a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump, who was a real estate mogul at the time.
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The payment was recorded as "legal fees" in the Trump Organization's records, which prosecutors argued was an illicit attempt to influence the 2016 election. Trump has admitted to reimbursing Cohen but has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the criminal trial was a politically motivated witch hunt designed to sabotage his presidential campaign. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and also denied the alleged encounter with Daniels.
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Following his conviction, Trump expressed his outrage, stating outside the courtroom, "This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt."
Rogan, on his podcast, noted the growing support for Trump from the rap community, stating, "So many rappers are showing support for Trump now, it's crazy." He attributed this support to the perception that Trump, like many others, is being ensnared by a flawed system. Hinchcliffe agreed, suggesting that the Black community might empathize with Trump's predicament.
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Rogan further criticized the attempts to prevent Trump from running for president, arguing that it exposes the corruption within the democratic system. He questioned the severity of the charges against Trump, stating that in "most situations, it would have been considered a misdemeanor, but they turned it into a felony. They trumped it up, no pun intended."
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Rogan also expressed concern over the willingness of Democrats to allow such proceedings, stating, "But what's scary is how many Democrats are willing to allow this kind of stuff to happen, and a lot of them are aware of it."
In February, while addressing the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala in Columbia, South Carolina, Trump discussed the pardons he granted during his presidential term, including those given to rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black for separate firearms offenses.
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Trump, at the event, expressed his belief that his repeated indictments were politically motivated, stating, "I got indicted for nothing—for something that is nothing. They were doing it because it's election interference—and then I got indicted a second time, and a third time, and a fourth time."
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He suggested that his experiences with discrimination resonated with the Black community, who have also been subjected to similar treatment. Trump also invoked the legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., stating, "Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxists, communists and fascists indict me, I consider it a great, great badge of honor. Because I'm being indicted for you, the American people. I'm being indicted for you, the Black population. I'm being indicted for a lot of different groups by sick people."
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Several prominent figures in the rap community, including Kanye "Ye" West, Snoop Dogg, DaBaby, Chief Keef, Benny the Butcher, Sexyy Red, and Waka Flocka Flame, have expressed their support for Trump. Even YG, known for his anti-Trump anthem, has softened his stance on the former president, citing the Paycheck Protection Program as a reason "Black people forgave him" after a period of skepticism.
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This shift in support from the rap community towards Trump, as observed by Rogan, underscores the complexities of political affiliations and the impact of personal experiences on public perception. It also highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics between politics and popular culture.
