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https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-protest-songs-hip-hop-mention-donald-trump/story?id=56822845
Upon jumping into the political fray, Donald Trump -- the business mogul-turned president -- who was hailed for his wealth and power in lyrics for decades, quickly became hip-hop’s public enemy, number one.
In 2016, anti-Trump chants became rallying calls at concerts and the then-provocative presidential candidate appeared to be on virtually everyone’s lips and in everyone’s Twitter feed. But as Trump’s presidency races into its second year, a notable transformation in hip-hop activism is taking shape.
While Trump still dominates the headlines and drives a congested news cycle, in many of the top protest songs of 2017 and 2018 -- some of which have topped the charts, there is virtually no mention of Trump. And that's because, for a number of activists and artists -- including Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and T.I. who once celebrated Trump's wealth and power in past lyrics -- there is so much more to discuss.
“People are finally getting it -- that [Trump’s] irrelevant to the movement.”
Political dissent, which is often energized and, in some cases, driven by the anti-Trump movement, has become so powerful and so all-encompassing that it has transcended Trump, and music released since he became president reflects an evolution in the conversation, according to hip hop industry artists and activists interviewed by ABC News.
Even political songs that do name drop the president are a far cry from YG’s viral 2016 anti-Trump anthem, "FDT" or “F--- Donald Trump” or even Eminem’s “The Storm.”
Tracks like “Land of the Free,” by Joey Bada$$, Logic’s “America,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “XXX.,” featuring U2, mention Trump in passing, but each work explores broader systemic injustices.
Even Kanye West, who was under severe backlash from fans for declaring his support for Trump earlier this year, moved the conversation forward by releasing a back-and-forth track based on an actual political conversation he had with Atlanta rapper T.I., who is one of the most outspoken Trump critics in hip-hop.
In “Ye vs. the People,” featuring T.I. as “the people,” the two artists engage in a political debate, address free speech, divisions and racism in America.
And according to Rev. Lennox Yearwood, the president of the nonprofit group, The Hip Hop Caucus, the revitalization of social activism in hip-hop and the evolution of the political conversation shows that “through tragedy is coming triumph.”
“Artists and activists feel like we can’t wait for Trump,” Yearwood said. “We have to get out there now and fight.”
Maimouna Youssef, a Grammy-nominated artist known as Mumu Fresh, said that although activists and artists recognize that “it’s still serious that Trump has the power” to influence policy and politics, “people are finally getting it -- that he’s irrelevant to the movement.”
“It’s not going to happen because of him, but in spite of him,” Youssef told ABC News. “We kind of all got tired of the reality show. You see all of the stories and ridiculousness and the tweets…and you turn it off and you go do something more productive with your time.”
“When the movement is strong, the music is strong”
If you listen to Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” Nas’ “Cops Shot the Kid,”Janelle Monáe’s “Americans,” Meek Mill’s “Stay Woke,” Vic Mensa and Ty Dolla Sign’s “We Could Be Free,” Rapsody and Kendrick Lamar’s “Power,” and a trio of singles released by the Black Eyed Peas, don't utter Trump’s name once.
Instead, each is an anthem steeped in political and social commentary on race and racism in America.
“Clearly the old saying is true: ‘When the movement is strong, the music is strong,’ and when the movement is weak, the music is weak,” Yearwood said.
“(Now), when artists do put out political music, it shoots to the top. People need it for their spirits, they need it for their souls, they need it to keep fighting.”
The video for “This is America,” -- a provocative commentary about the black experience and the degradation of black bodies and black culture over centuries -- is so steeped in historical and modern-day symbols that cultural critics are still unpacking its meaning months after its May release.
Describing it as “a song that speaks to your existence,” Yearwood said that “This is America” is reminiscent of “We Shall Overcome” -- the gospel song that became the anthem for the 1960s civil rights movement.
The song was so well-received in the mainstream that it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 -- a spot that is rarely held by such explicitly political songs.
Childish Gambino, whose full name is Donald Glover, won a Grammy earlier this year for the Billboard-charting “Redbone,” a funk-inspired song about a failed a relationship with political undertones. The song is also known as “stay woke” based on words from its chorus, and was featured on the soundtrack for Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” which won an Oscar for best original screenplay.
“Whenever socially conscious music is successful in the mainstream, it’s a great thing because we don’t get enough of it,” Massachusetts rapper Termanology, whose upcoming album also explores political themes, told ABC News.
“And if it happens naturally, if it’s just meant to be like that, it’s definitely beautiful for us that really care.”
