The 2024 U.S. presidential race is getting nastier by the minute. With Joe Biden and Donald Trump's first debate this year happening later tonight (Thursday, June 27), it's only going to get more chaotic. But it looks like the Democrat is already planning for the future, inviting some special guests to a North Carolina rally on Friday (June 28) to either celebrate a successful debate or crisis-manage a disastrous one. Moreover, Fat Joe and E-40 will join the current United States president and his wife Jill to show their support and, by proxy, try to rally more of the rap world to the blue side come November.
Furthermore, we know that this is far from the first time that politicians have tried to steer hip-hop in their favor, and in fact, Joe Biden arrived late to the party this time around. Donald Trump already made his mark on the rap world this year in grand and controversial fashion, such as getting New York drill MCs Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow to co-sign him at a rally recently. In addition, there are even some lighter and less direct homages such as Sexyy Red's "Make America Sexyy Again" branding. We'll see which other players in the game come forward with their take, or to outright blast both candidates.
Fat Joe & E-40 Are On Joe Biden's Side
Nevertheless, Joe Biden's campaign labeled Fat Joe and E-40 as "legends of the music industry who understand the importance of utilizing their platforms to ensure their fan base understands the stakes of this election." However, other rappers like Sada Baby, whom Donald Trump recently linked with alongside fellow Detroit rappers Icewear Vezzo and Peezy, think that the convicted former president "might be the first person to make [the rapper] vote." "Him reaching out showed me, like, some type of effort that another candidate hadn’t shown ever," Sada reportedly told NBC News. "I’m trying to act like it doesn’t mean too much, but it means a lot."
In the face of this wave, Joe Biden might have to enlist more MCs to his side if he wants more hip-hop favor. Of course, both candidates could actually try to impact the struggling communities within rap, defend its artistic freedom in the courts system, and not parade them around as celebrity heads to curry favor with voters... But they're politicians: how rarely do they ever engage with their actual job descriptions? Regardless, Biden's not happy about Trump's convictions, and hopes to use them against him. Will the rap world actually have a role to play this election or are these all just false promises and obfuscations?