After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, 50 Cent's hit "Many Men" has become a soundtrack to the aftermath – and reinforced the former president's status within hip-hop culture.
Just like a rapper, Trump is very good at lying about himself, says Hasan Ramic, music journalist at Dagens Nyheter.
The assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania has generated a flood of references to black hip-hop stereotypes: "Three different mothers to their children, toilets in gold, multiple mugshots, 34 criminal convictions for paying a porn star – and he got shot".
Praised by 50 Cent
Memes paired Trump with 50 Cent's "Many Men (wish death") – a paranoid song about living under death threats. Rap mogul 50 Cent himself played it at a concert in Boston shortly after the assassination attempt – with the former president's head pasted over the album cover of "Get Rich or Die Tryin".
After 50 Cent survived his own assassination attempt in 2000, one of the best PR tricks for a rapper was to get shot and survive. The same thing happening to Donald Trump, and in front of the media, is extremely important in 2024, says Hasan Ramic.
Ramic emphasizes that a large part of hip-hop culture is built on a black liberation struggle, incompatible with Trump's far-right ideology. Yet, support for Trump has increased among black voters in 2024. A group that traditionally voted for Democrats.
Andreas Utterström is a PR consultant and USA expert. He believes that the successes may be due to Trump embracing the caricature of himself. In that way, the charges and even the assassination attempt become part of a narrative about a conspiracy from the establishment.
He portrays the elite as a big enemy, and if you belong to the working class, I think you experience the system as rigged in exactly the way Donald Trump says, says Andreas Utterström.
Feelings and Attitude Win Elections
He believes that Trump's "street smarts" and ability to turn a disadvantage into an advantage should not be underestimated.
Trump has understood that if you want to win a presidential election today, it's about feelings and attitude. Not about election manifestos and Excel files that detail how different proposals will be financed, says Utterström.
Both Utterström and Hasan Ramic agree that Trump is skilled at presenting himself as an underdog despite all his privileges. Trump – like rappers throughout history – has created a persona that fits the post-political zeitgeist.
Is Trump like Scarface, that he "speaks the truth, even when he lies"?
There's something to it. Even if he lies about everything, he shows that the American political system is theater, and all he needs to do is act, says Hasan Ramic.
October 11, 2018. Kanye West visits Trump at the White House despite criticism from some fans. West then talked about wearing the well-known MAGA hat: "It was something about putting it on, it made me feel like Superman, my favorite superhero."
Donald Trump invites rapper Lil Pump on stage during one of his campaign rallies, but mistakenly calls him "Lil Pimp".January, 2021 : During his last days in office, Donald Trump pardons 143 people. Among others, New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne, who had previously met Trump and was about to be sentenced for weapons possession. Trump also pardons Florida rapper Kodak Black, who was serving a sentence for weapons offenses at the time.
: Donald Trump visits South Bronx and invites drill rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow. Trump gives compliments for their decorated teeth (so-called "grills"). "Make America great again", say the rappers.
