Surprise! Rappers hate Donald Trump. This isn’t a shock; he’s earned their disrespect. Yesterday, we saw Nas join the conversation, taking to the Internet to voice his opinions on Trump, politics and surviving a shitty presidency.
He shared his thoughts via Mass Appeal, condemning the commander-in-chief for his divisive rhetoric. Nas spoke on the lynching in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park that was ruled a suicide despite evidence that proved otherwise, drawing attention to heightened racial tensions caused by Trump’s instigation of violence at his rallies towards minorities. He also highlighted the failure of the democratic system to accurately represent the majority, stating that if he “feel[s] like voting again,” he doesn’t have to watch the news to know who he’s voting against.
He’s not alone in his vocal disapproval for the Trump administration. Earlier this year, Snoop Dogg’s “Lavender” music video—in which he implies Trump’s assassination—earned him a death wish from Fox News. Yes, you read that correctly. His cartoonish portrayal of the assassination of a man who has condoned sexual assault and violence against minorities warranted death, according to the folks at The Five. (We can only imagine their thoughts on Kathy Griffin.) Trump even tweeted about it, suggesting that if someone were to portray the assassination of Obama in the same manner, it would have resulted in “jail time.”
Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 15, 2017
Overall, Nas’ letter is not a condemnation of Trump, but words of hope for those who feel deterred by this administration. “I’m doing all the things I’ve ever dreamed of, even though there was a Ronald Reagan, even though there was laws that ruthlessly destroyed the black community, put tons of us in prison on trumped-up charges, and put us in jail for a long time over crimes that other people get a smack on the hand for,” says Nas.
You can read the entirety of Nas’s letter here. The rapper also just announced a tour with Lauryn Hill—find those dates right here.