Why Are Rappers And Rockstars Turning To Right-Wing Politics? | by Ossiana Tepfenhart | Oct, 2023

I could explain Kid Rock by him being a rich dude, but Ice T? Really?!

There are certain things that I’ve started to notice among people in the music industry that I don’t feel comfortable with — and no, it’s not how gropey some of them get. No, there is something a little worse that I noticed worth mentioning.

If there is one thing that I can say with a lot of certainty, it’s that hip-hop started off as a rebellion against the status quo. Hip-hop is about anti-racism, empowerment, self-expression, and community. Hip hop, and all its five elements, are meant to be a rage against the machine.

People who know me well know that hip-hop and rap hold a very close place to my heart. I buy graffiti art, hang out with graffiti artists, married a DJ, and yes, I love me some hip-hop music too.

I mean shit, I’ve smoked with Afrika Bambaataa before when I was young. (It was just like a random event at a Brooklyn club, but still, I was star-struck enough to be at a loss for words when he passed me a joint.)

Needless to say, it’s really squicking me out to see so many people who made a fortune in hip-hop start to embrace right-wing politics.

Yep. It’s true. A lot of the bigger names in hip-hop and rap have started to come out as right-wing. We all know about Kanye, erm, Ye, being right-wing and pro-Trump, but some of the others are pretty shocking.

Ice T, for example, espoused right-wing political views then later backpedaled: