Music

Barack Obama Theorizes Why So Many Rappers Supported Donald Trump

Getty Image There are parallels between Donald Trump and rappers that make the mogul seem more attractive to the artists that rallied behind him. …

During the recent election, many hip-hop fans were disappointed to find that some of the genre’s biggest stars chose to support Donald Trump in spite of his policies. Lil Wayne, Lil Pump, and more posted to social media openly professing their preference for Trump over his opposition Joe Biden, while others like 50 Cent joked that they liked Trump’s tax policy more than Biden’s. In a recent interview with The Atlantic, former president Barack Obama tries to explain why Trump’s presentation tended to resonate with this particular demographic.

“I have to remind myself that if you listen to rap music, it’s all about the bling, the women, the money,” he says. “A lot of rap videos are using the same measures of what it means to be successful as Donald Trump is. Everything is gold-plated. That insinuates itself and seeps into the culture.”

Indeed, there’s a lot of rap music that is explicitly about the topics mentioned above (and just as much that isn’t), while even some of the most progressive-minded minded rappers across the genre’s 40-year history have engaged at least a few of these tropes in their efforts to make their music and videos palatable to the widest variety of fans. Rappers in the 90s and 2000s often name-checked Trump to associate themselves with the perception of wealth and those constant cameos were a driving force in Kanye West’s 2016 decision to meet with Trump despite the then candidate’s divisive rhetoric. In Obama’s mind, this is symptomatic of growing materialism in the broader American culture, which makes someone like Trump seem more attractive than they really are.

“America has always had a caste system — rich and poor, not just racially but economically — but it wasn’t in your face most of the time when I was growing up,” he explains. “Then you start seeing Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, that sense that either you’ve got it or you’re a loser. And Donald Trump epitomizes that cultural movement that is deeply ingrained now in American culture.”

He does point out his optimistic view of the future, however, expressing his hope in a younger generation who values different standards for success. “When you look at the younger generation, Malia and Sasha’s generation, you see that more clearly,” he adds. “It’s more often articulated, what they want out of life. They’re much less likely to have a need to be on Wall Street by such-and-such date. That is not how they seem to be defining themselves quite as much. That makes me more optimistic.”

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Artist Spotlight

Johanna Linnea Jakobsson delivers a wake-up call with genre-blending anthem ‘Work’

Johanna Linnea Jakobsson’s new single, “Work,” is a tender whisper reverberating big truths. With “Work,” Johanna knows vulnerability can be both a strength and a soundtrack. The song explores that very familiar feeling of being stuck. But instead of dramatizing it, she wraps the emotion in something tender and true.

Curtailing the velvet undertones of jazz with the earthy folk textures and the intimacy of singer/songwriter storytelling, “Work” sounds like a contemplative, honest, and quietly powerful rainy Sunday morning. From the opening note, the track has a lazy ease that calls to mind Norah Jones, its jazzy lilt, and soothing vocals coaxing you into the fold. The instrumentation is subtle but intentional, with acoustic guitar chords softly caressing a jazzy rhythm section, while delicate piano lines add an almost meditative dimension to the song. The production never overwhelms the message, and it adds emotional shading.

But where it works its magic is in the chorus, which is instantly memorable and deeply relatable. It captures the inner dialogue that so many of us know too well, the push to keep moving forward despite emotional exhaustion, and the quiet shame of not knowing how to ask for help. Instead of easy answers, Johanna gives us something better and a shared space of feeling seen.

The power of “Work” is in its restraint. It aspires to be glossy or overproduced. It breathes. It listens. And it gently whispers to the part of us that’s quietly screaming. There’s a healing there, especially when it comes packaged in this lush, genre-fluid arrangement.

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Artist Spotlight

Sandra Mae Lux sparks warm joyride with “Are We Having Fun”

Sandra Mae Lux immortalizes music with her new single, “Are We Having Fun. ” It’s reflecting on where you’ve been and getting lost in a groove that is as thoughtful as needed. From the first note, “Are We Having Fun” has a satin, retro-find elegance. Lux floats her voice through a plush soundscape, seamlessly mixing funk, soul, and smooth jazz elements into something vintage and fresh.

There’s an understated elegance here, a melodic wink that every listener takes a moment and checks in with themselves. Are we having fun or just pretending to? Inspired by her love of storytelling, Lux gives the track genuine emotion. “I love songs that evoke something in me,” she explains, and that outlook is writ large on this record. The track unfolds almost cinematic-like Lux is multitasking, taking us through late-night city drives, wistful bops, and melancholic joy. It’s music for deep thinkers and dancers, too.

Her delivery is full of warmth, playfulness, power, balance, and restraint, showing that she knows when to hold back and allow herself to fly. Every lyric feels considered, ensconced in instrumentation that glitters with vintage delicacy Rhodes keys, silky basslines, and a rhythm section that knows it can sway without yelling. Yet its sincerity makes “Are We Having Fun” really shine. It’s a song that wants to be sung, which is why it resonates above all.

Sandra Mae Lux has created a song that poses a question and resonates in your mind long after the last note dies, gently nudging you to answer it for yourself. Whether cruising solo or dancing with someone you love, this song is your soundtrack to a joyful night of introspection.